The technology-evoked time use rebound effect and its impact on pro-environmental consumer behaviour in tourism

Abstract

The growing awareness of tourism’s environmental impacts has facilitated energy efficiency improvements in all tourism sub-sectors, especially in tourist transport. Further technological improvements are envisaged to save travel time as well as to reduce travel costs. However, the time savings achieved can potentially trigger behavioural responses of tourists that are unexpected and can intensify consumption. Ultimately, this intensified consumption can negate the positive effect of energy efficiency improvements in tourism, the phenomenon known as the time use rebound effect. Existing literature fails to account for this effect as a driver of unsustainable consumer behaviour in tourism. This paper proposes a framework to conceptualise the potential time use rebound effect in tourism and discusses the importance of considering it for better understanding and management of pro-environmental tourist behaviour. The paper elaborates upon the implications of the time use rebound effect for sustainable tourism development.

Highlights

• Discusses the effect of energy efficiency improvements in tourism on consumption

• Demonstrates this effect is not always positive

• Conceptualises the rebound effect in tourism with respect to time

• Discusses how the time use rebound effect can reduce the positive effect of energy efficiency improvements in tourism

Keywords:

• Rebound effect
• time
• pro-environmental behaviour
• tourist transport
• technological efficiency improvement
• greenhouse gas emissions

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Soheon Kim is a PhD Candidate in Faculty of Management at Bournemouth University. Her research interests include consumer behavior, mobility and cultural diversity in tourism, particularly in the context of sustainable tourism development.

Viachaslau Filimonau is a Principal Lecturer in Hospitality Management in Faculty of Management at Bournemouth University. His research interests include sustainable mobilities, water and carbon footprint management in tourism and hospitality, and environmental management in tourism and hospitality enterprises.

Janet E. Dickinson is a Professor at Bournemouth University. Her research interests focus on mitigation of and adaptation of tourism to climate change, digital technology, the sharing economy and time.