Swisstainable: Nudging in tourism for more sustainable travel

1. definition of nudging

According to Prof. Dr. Jörn Basel from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, nudging is a tool of decision-making psychology that aims to influence human decision-making behavior systematically and in a certain way. It makes it possible to facilitate decisions without prohibiting certain things or focusing on monetary benefits.

2. practical examples of nudging in tourism

2.1 Change of towel

The best-known example from the tourism sector is certainly the often-cited example of towels in hotel rooms. Where people have just said: It is more sustainable if you use the towel 2-3 times. When the towel is on the floor, it is replaced. You can do this at any time. If the towel is lying on the hook, the cleaning staff will understand that the towel will be used again. There is no ban here. If you want to change it every day, you are welcome to do so. There is no incentive. You don't get a cheaper hotel night if you somehow leave the towel hanging longer, but this appeal alone. We have also noticed that how other people behave has a very strong impact on this, in a positive sense.

2.2 Lavender owner sign for respectful behavior

Another exciting example of nudging in tourism is the story of a lavender owner in Provence. There were always lots of people in the fields to take photos. The owner put up a sign saying that this was his private property and that visitors should stay outside. This actually resulted in fewer people going into the fields. You can find more information about this nudge including a podcast here.

2.3 The context of the nudge is key

It can be proven that such nudges actually have an effect. However, one should be careful when making general statements about this, as it depends on the context. There are also studies in which the nudge did not work because people were not willing enough to change their behavior.

After all, the nudge is a gentle nudge and not a hard monetary incentive. Therefore, it does not always work. It is important to consider whether the guests really want the desired behavior and whether they are able to implement it for various reasons. The nudge can help to convey the information clearly and unambiguously and encourage the desired behavior. Otherwise, it will be difficult.

Overall, the nudge is an interesting strategy to influence people's behavior and encourage more sustainable behavior in tourism. However, it is important to consider the individual needs and preferences of guests and adapt the nudge accordingly. In this way, we can help to make tourism more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

In tourism and sustainability, however, this only works well if the guest's original intention is also to behave sustainably. If, on the other hand, the guest's main intention is to travel as cheaply as possible or to find the cheapest accommodation, then the nudge no longer works.

3. Ethical aspects of nudging

In tourism, ethical aspects should be critically scrutinized when using nudging. Companies and tourism organizations often unconsciously influence guests' decisions through the way they present offers. It is therefore important to be clear about your own values and goals and to act accordingly.

Nudging can have both positive and negative effects. You can lure guests into more expensive offers through clever presentation. However, this should be done in the customer's interest so that he or she chooses the offer voluntarily. It is important that guests have the opportunity to reject the specifications without having to go through complex processes. However, the mechanisms of nudging can work in both directions. However, the "nudge for good" approach can prevent negative influences as far as possible.

4. My personal insights from the interview

The interview with Prof. Dr. Jörn Basel changed my perspective on the impact of nudging in the tourism sector. I had previously underestimated its importance. During the talk, he gave vivid and convincing best practice examples - for example, changing towels in hotels or the private property sign on the lavender field. I was very curious and wanted to know concrete figures on the increase. However, Prof. Dr. Jörn Basel rightly pointed out that context plays an extremely important role and that it is wrong to simply copy best practice examples, as they do not necessarily have to be successful. Below are my 3 key takeaways:

1. Nudging has a great effect if the context is right and the guest also has the basic intention for it
2. Nudge for "Good" is central. Nudging must be done in the interests of the guest.
3. You can't not nudge.

Want to learn more about nudging specifically for more sustainable tourism? Here you will find a very exciting study by the ZHAW on sustainability measures using nudging which have worked and which have not. The following article from htr is also worth reading.

5th conclusion of the blog series

In this 8-part blog series, I have taken you on a sustainable journey and introduced you to the Swisstainable program, among other things. Thanks to my numerous visits to service providers that are part of this program, I was able to take a look behind the scenes and make their sustainability measures visible. You also learned on this trip that sustainability is not more expensive per se, and that the excursion tips in the vicinity, such as the Zugerberg, offer a lot and will be remembered for a long time to come.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you readers for the discussions, suggestions and for sharing your contributions. I hope you have learned a lot about sustainable travel in the canton of Zug and know where you should plan your next trip. For this series, I would be delighted if you could fill in the following feedback form so that I know in future what you are interested in and which content you liked best.

I would also like to thank the service providers and interview partners for their time and commitment. Without the cooperation of Romy Bacher (Swiss Tourism Federation), the Lake Zug Navigation, the Theater Casino, the APART AG, the Zugerberg Bahn, Lorzensaal and Prof. Dr. Jörn Basel, this series would only have been half as exciting. Thank you very much for your commitment to more sustainability in tourism.

Joel De Buren, 2024