Incentives and Barriers to Water-Saving Measures in Hotels in the Mediterranean: A Case Study of the Muga River Basin (Girona, Spain)

Maria Torres-Bagur, Anna Ribas and Josep Vila-Subirós
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Maria Torres-Bagur: Department of Geography and Institute of Environment, University of Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain
Anna Ribas: Department of Geography and Institute of Environment, University of Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain
Josep Vila-Subirós: Department of Geography and Institute of Environment, University of Girona, 17004 Girona, Spain

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 13, 1-16

Abstract: Decreasing water availability and growing demands due to climate change and increasing tourist numbers in the Mediterranean basin are likely to result in worsening conflicts between socioeconomic sectors that depend on water to survive. We conducted 19 in-depth interviews with hotel owners and managers in the Muga river basin (Girona, north-east Spain) to analyze their use of water-saving measures and explore perceived incentives and barriers. Hotel size, category, and year of construction/renovation were all directly associated with the implementation or lack of implementation of certain measures. The hoteliers did not perceive any strong incentives to adopt water-saving measures, but there were clear indications of cost and technical barriers and a lack of awareness about possible options. Efforts are clearly needed to improve incentives and increase awareness and knowledge about water-saving measures among hoteliers in this part of the Mediterranean basin, where water is a necessary resource for the tourist industry and many other sectors.

Keywords: hotels; water scarcity; water-saving measures; incentives and barriers; Mediterranean basin (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:13:p:3583-:d:244116

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