Towards Glasgow Declaration Goals: Destination Management Organization of Central Finland and its Stakeholders’ Decarbonization Prospective

Abstract

Abstract

Decarbonization represents one of the core responsibilities of tourism sector. The 2021 Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism sets voluntary carbon emissions’ reductions goals and invites its parties to actively cooperate regarding the decarbonization agenda. The declaration has been already signed by a broad range of tourism actors including a few Destination Management Organizations from Finland. Visit Jyväskylä Region (VJR), Destination Management Organization for the Central Finland is intended to become a party of the declaration. This Master’s Thesis studies VJR’s stakeholders’ decarbonization prospective and investigates possible lines of climate action for the case organization when it signs the declaration. The research utilizes the stakeholder approach widely used in sustainable tourism studies. The core focus of the research are VJR’s stakeholders’ perceptions towards carbon emissions’ reduction, including measurement in practice, set deadlines, opportunities, risks and obstacles associated with the decarbonization, quality of stakeholder cooperation regarding decarbonization agenda, cooperation with case company and avenues to improve the latter. The Master’s Thesis concludes that VJR’s stakeholders are aware of necessity to reduce carbon emissions and have already introduced some decarbonization practices, set goals to reach carbon neutrality. Stakeholders try to cut emissions because it helps to save money and be environmentally-friendly. However, high costs, complexity, lack of finance and time comprise the major risks associated with the decarbonization. VJR is perceived by its stakeholders as an actor that poses outstanding marketing and communication power. This power can be used by VJR to take such actions regarding decarbonization as: raise awareness, communicate relevant information, promote carbon neutral transportation, organize trainings and other forms of collaboration for its stakeholders. The results of the research can be utilized by a broad range of tourism actors, including Glasgow Declaration’s active and potential parties.

Key words: Tourism, decarbonization, Glasgow Declaration, Destination Management Organization, stakeholders.