Moving towards more eco-efficient tourist transportation to a resort destination: The case of Whistler, British Columbia

Transportation is not only a key component of the tourism value chain, but it is also a critical management consideration in shaping tourism's environmental footprint. Transportation consumes the greatest portion of the energy used in the tourism system. Most of this consumption is associated with travel to and from the destination. Despite this situation, scant research has addressed ways in which destinations can play a role in reducing this energy use challenge. Strategies such as shifting visitors to more energy-efficient modes have the potential to improve the eco-efficiency of tourist transportation. Using a case study of transportation management options and visitor responses in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada, this paper examines visitor reactions to a range of transportation strategies designed to shift skiers from private to public modes of transport. Respondents completed an online survey employing both traditional and stated choice questioning methods to examine tourists' transportation choice behaviour. Long-haul tourists were the most likely to shift transport modes based on the management options offered to them. Destination management strategies for moving this target group to public modes of transportation are described.