Transition to carbon-neutral tourism: A demand-driven approach

Tourism accounts for nearly one-tenth of global greenhouse gas emissions. Efforts to reduce them have focused mainly on cleaner technologies, renewable energy, and more sustainable tourism services. This dissertation argues that the transition to carbon-neutral tourism should be understood not only as a technological challenge but also as a demand-driven societal transition, in which low-carbon travel emerges from the interaction between people and the social and geographical environments in which they travel.

Drawing on research among young adults in Finland, the dissertation examines a sustainability paradox. Although Finland is internationally recognized for its ambitious climate policies and commitment to carbon neutrality, its long travel distances, dispersed settlements, seasonal conditions, and uneven access to low-carbon transport often make sustainable travel choices difficult in everyday life. This context provides a unique opportunity to understand why environmentally concerned travelers do not always translate their intentions into low-carbon behavior.

The findings show that travel decisions cannot be explained by environmental awareness alone. Instead, they are shaped by a combination of personal responsibility, social norms, everyday habits, and the practical realities of travel, including accessibility, infrastructure, affordability, and the availability of sustainable alternatives. The dissertation further demonstrates that sustainable travel is not a single behavior but a series of interconnected decisions across transport, accommodation, and consumption. It also shows that emphasizing the positive benefits of sustainable travel can encourage behavioral change more effectively than focusing only on environmental problems. Responsibility for reducing tourism emissions is perceived as shared among travelers, businesses, governments, and international organizations.

By integrating perspectives from tourism geography, environmental psychology, and sustainability science, the research demonstrates that meaningful progress depends on aligning individual motivation with the social, spatial, and structural conditions that shape travel choices. The dissertation provides a new framework for understanding carbon-neutral tourism and offers practical guidance for designing policies and tourism systems that make sustainable travel more realistic, attractive, and accessible.