Tool for Greener Tourism: Evaluating Environmental Impacts

Cristina Campos Herrero (), Ana Cláudia Dias, María Gallego, David Gutiérrez, Paula Quinteiro, Pedro Villanueva-Rey, Sara Oliveira, Jaume Albertí, Alba Bala, Pere Fullana-i-Palmer, Margalida Fullana Puig, Lela Melón, Ilija Sazdovski, Eduardo Rodríguez, Mercè Roca, Ramon Xifré, Jara Laso Cortabitarte, María Margallo Blanco and Rubén Aldaco García
Additional contact information
Cristina Campos Herrero: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain
Ana Cláudia Dias: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
María Gallego: EnergyLab, Campus Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
David Gutiérrez: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain
Paula Quinteiro: Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Environment and Planning, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
Pedro Villanueva-Rey: EnergyLab, Campus Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Sara Oliveira: Laboratório da Paisagem, Rua da Ponte Romana, Creixomil, 4835-095 Guimarães, Portugal
Jaume Albertí: UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Alba Bala: UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Pere Fullana-i-Palmer: UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Margalida Fullana Puig: LEPAMAP-PRODIS Research Group, University of Girona, 17003 Girona, Spain
Lela Melón: UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Ilija Sazdovski: UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Eduardo Rodríguez: EnergyLab, Campus Universidad de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Mercè Roca: UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Ramon Xifré: UNESCO Chair in Life Cycle and Climate Change ESCI-UPF, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
Jara Laso Cortabitarte: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain
María Margallo Blanco: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain
Rubén Aldaco García: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Cantabria, 39005 Santander, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-31

Abstract: Travel and tourism are essential to global economies, generating social, economic, and environmental impacts. However, there is a lack of standardized methodologies to assess the environmental footprint of tourist destinations beyond carbon footprint analysis. This study introduces the Greentour tool, the first of its kind to evaluate the environmental impact of accommodation, restaurants, and tourism activities using nine environmental indicators from a life cycle assessment (LCA) perspective. The tool applies a hybrid bottom-up and top-down approach, integrating data from tourist establishments and destination managers. The tool was tested in four tourist destinations in Spain and Portugal (Rías Baixas, Camino Lebaniego, Lloret de Mar, and Guimarães), revealing that transportation is the primary contributor to environmental impacts, ranging from 60% to 96% of total emissions, particularly in air-travel-dependent destinations. Food and beverage services are the second-largest contributor, accounting for up to 26% of emissions, while accommodation ranks third (1–14%). This study highlights the significant role of electricity consumption and food choices (e.g., red meat and dairy) in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, emphasizing the need for sustainable alternatives. Despite challenges in data collection, particularly for food and transport statistics, the Greentour tool has demonstrated robustness and adaptability across diverse destinations, making it applicable worldwide. This tool provides key insights for policymakers, tourism stakeholders, and businesses, supporting the integration of sustainability strategies into public policies and industry best practices. Future research should focus on expanding its use to additional destinations to foster science-based decision-making and promote more sustainable tourism practices globally.

Keywords: life cycle assessment (LCA); environmental impacts; environmental footprint; tourist destinations; sustainable tourism; environmental tool (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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