Calculating the Carbon Footprint of Urban Tourism Destinations: A Methodological Approach Based on Tourists’ Spatiotemporal Behaviour

Aitziber Pousa-Unanue (), Aurkene Alzua-Sorzabal, Roberto Álvarez-Fernández, Alexandra Delgado-Jiménez and Francisco Femenia-Serra
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Aitziber Pousa-Unanue: SmarttourINN, School of Economics and Business, Nebrija University, 28015 Madrid, Spain
Aurkene Alzua-Sorzabal: SmarttourINN, School of Economics and Business, Nebrija University, 28015 Madrid, Spain
Roberto Álvarez-Fernández: Higher Polytechnic School, Nebrija University, 28015 Madrid, Spain
Alexandra Delgado-Jiménez: Higher Polytechnic School, Nebrija University, 28015 Madrid, Spain
Francisco Femenia-Serra: Department of Geography, Faculty of Commerce and Tourism, Complutense University of Madrid, 28003 Madrid, Spain

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-32

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of urban tourists’ behaviour on the environmental performance of a destination, particularly in terms of carbon emissions. Tourist-related emissions are shaped by their choices and behaviours, impacting the overall carbon footprint of the locations they visit. To assess this impact, we introduce a methodology for quantifying greenhouse gas emissions linked to tourists’ energy consumption. This approach considers key tourism components—activities, accommodation, and transportation—analysing their roles in emissions across a trip’s temporal and spatial dimensions. By integrating tourists’ spatiotemporal behaviour with emissions data, our framework offers insights that can support local climate-responsive urban and tourism policies. We empirically apply the proposed model to the destination of Donostia/San Sebastián (Spain), where the primary travel sequences of visitors are analysed. We utilise cartographic techniques to map the environmental footprints of different tourist profiles, such as cultural and nature tourists. The findings indicate that visitors primarily motivated by nature and outdoor recreation constitute the segment with the highest greenhouse gas emissions (with a minimum footprint of 30.69 kg CO 2 -equivalent per trip), followed by cultural tourists, and finally, other categories of visitors. The results highlight the practical applications of the proposed model for sustainable tourism management, providing valuable guidance for urban planners and policymakers in mitigating the environmental impacts of tourism.

Keywords: greenhouse gas emissions; carbon footprint; urban tourism destinations; climate change; Donostia/San Sebastián (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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