The tourist of the future seeks sustainable travel. This was demonstrated by a global Booking survey in 2022, in which 71% of respondents said they would choose sustainable tourism in the coming years. However, at the time of the survey, only 1% of the facilities available on the platform had obtained sustainability certifications. All is not lost, however, asovertourism, or aggressive tourism that brings millions of travellers to the same destinations at the same times of the year, is alarming nations around the world. The Netherlands, for example, has stopped sponsoring Amsterdam as a top destination, promoting Rotterdam and Utrecht instead. Italy too, with the introduction of restricted access to Venice, is moving in this direction.
It is therefore necessary to abandon a tourism that has a detrimental impact on the environment in favour of intelligent tourism. With the Decree of 22 March 2023, the Ministry of Tourism has taken an important step, making available, for the two-year period 2023-2025, a fund of 25 million euros to support sustainable tourism. The aim is to promote alternative tourist itineraries and avoid overcrowding by encouraging accommodation facilities to obtain sustainability certifications. However, the choice that protects the environment is also one that opts for sustainable mobility, and electric vehicles could be excellent travel companions. However, before investigating the advantages of travelling by electric vehicle, let’s find out how much of an impact traditional transport has on tourism.
Environmental impact of traditional tourism
According to the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and the International Transport Forum (ITF), tourism accounts for 5% of global annual CO2 emissions, and is responsible for 22% of transport emissions. The impact on the environment is not only dictated by polluting greenhouse gas emissions, but also by the production of waste and the threat to local biodiversity. It is therefore necessary to rethink tourism in another key. At the moment, according to UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) forecasts, by 2030 there will be 1.8 billion tourists worldwide and by 2050 there will be an alarming 131% of CO2 emissions.
For each tourist travelling, one must then consider the means of transport used for the journey. Among the most polluting, the record is held by cruises, responsible for between 1.2 and 9 tonnes of CO2 per passenger. These giants of the sea also affect the pollution of ports and the influx of thousands of tourists into the same city at the same time. An example of this is the situation of environmental degradation that Barcelona is experiencing. Aeroplanes also have a major impact on the environment, with 2.5% of polluting gases emitted. Then there are also cars, which populate the motorways during summer getaways and are, in general, the main contributors to air pollution. To improve the impact of tourism on the environment, it is not necessary to give up travelling and reduce it, but to adapt travel to environmental sustainability. Travelling electrically is possible, and it is getting easier.
Electric vehicles: technology and environmental benefits
Helping the electric transition are hotels, B&Bs and campsites, which are starting to equip themselves with charging stations and e-mobility services, including e-bikes. These are perfect for short, customised excursions to seaside and mountain resorts, where comfort and speed contribute to a comfortable experience in contact with nature. Currently, the maximum range achievable by e-bikes is 300-400 km, while on average, a standard electric bicycle covers up to 100-120 km on a single charge. Among the factors that influence the efficiency of the bike, besides the type of battery, are the weight carried and the pedalling speed. It is therefore better to ride slowly and enjoy the ride to avoid excessive consumption.
For a road trip, on average, an electric vehicle has a range of 200 to 500 km, but with newer models, such as the Tesla Model S, it is possible to travel more than 600 km on a single charge. To avoid range anxiety, or the fear of being halfway through the journey with no electricity available, there are several measures that maximise an EV’s range. Among these, it is useful to plan charging in advance and to pre-heat or pre-cool the car while it is connected to the grid to reduce the battery’s dependence on the air conditioning. Temperature, in fact, along with driving speed, is an essential factor to consider when planning an electric journey. These are small expedients for a journey that takes care of the environment.
What are the benefits of sustainable tourism?
Electric mobility therefore contributes to sustainable tourism and facilitates increasingly innovative ways to travel safely and easily. During the journey, the time spent recharging the EV is precious time to enjoy the surrounding area. This is why, in the future, slow tourism will become increasingly popular as an eco-friendly choice for travelling. The slow tourist does not spend his or her time in a frantic race to the most desirable destination, but enjoys the journey as an immersive and pleasurable experience. This benefits first and foremost the environment, on which the traveller exerts less of a fossil footprint. Natural beauties such as coral reefs and environmental oases are then protected from the aggressive input of ravenous tourism.
The sustainable tourist thus seeks a connection with the land, which is why he prefers green, electric and shared mobility. They take advantage of means of transport such as buses, trains and ferries and experience every unexpected event as a new opportunity to discover indigenous culture and traditions. Slow tourism in fact chooses local culinary dishes and shows appreciation for little-explored territories, avoiding overcrowding and always respecting the local community. In this way, it is no longer just the physical act of travelling that counts, but also the protection of the space in which one travels and the mental well-being of the traveller. Without anxieties and worries, travel translates into escapism, freedom and discovery.
Charging infrastructure for electric vehicles
If the journey is more important than the destination, the touring experience must be agile and comfortable for the traveller. Travelling by electric vehicle can ensure this, without incurring the dreaded range anxiety. To do this, it is necessary to plan the trip in advance, with a mapping of the charging stations along the route. In Italy, the PUN (Piattaforma Unica Nazionale per i veicoli ad energia elettrica) comes to the rescue. This is a centralised digital register of national charging infrastructures, to which EV drivers have access for an overview of service types, prices and availability. Especially in high season, it is important to check the accessibility of charging islands and to book them in advance for the desired date, if possible.
Strategically choosing the charging point can further enhance the journey, with the possibility of exploring, while charging, places little known to mass tourism. To help the driver, there are also several apps to orientate oneself among the charging infrastructures in the area and design one’s own itinerary. Not only that, because thanks to the Bonus Colonnine 2024 for businesses and professionals, many commercial activities, including accommodation facilities, have benefited from the 87.5 million euro fund for the purchase and installation of new charging stations.
In the near future, therefore, it will be increasingly easy to find accommodation that has an area where one can recharge one’s car. In addition to this availability, there is also the recent PNRR Investment 4.3 for the installation of more than 21 thousand new recharging stations throughout the country. These are interesting numbers, encouraging tourists to think about the prospect of an eco-friendly trip and alternative forms of mobility.