Tourist perceptions of air travel and climate change: an assessment of the polluters pay principle in South Africa

Abstract

There is an ongoing debate about possible taxation of air travel and the inclusion of aviation in emission trading schemes. One proposal is the introduction of a carbon tax as part of a broad range of mitigation options to address climate change. However, the effectiveness of such a tax depends largely on the responsiveness to it by tourists. Consequently, the aim of the study is to explore the attitudes of domestic tourists in South Africa toward the introduction of a carbon tax, together with their knowledge and perceptions of climate change. Therefore, the perceptions of the polluters pay principle amongst domestic tourists who use air travel in South Africa are investigated. Data was collected using a structured survey involving two hundred domestic air travel passengers at O.R. Tambo International airport, selected through a random sampling technique. The study is the first of its kind in South Africa and it concludes that the average domestic tourist has moderate to good knowledge regarding climate change, believes climate change to be very serious and in need of attention and is willing to pay a carbon tax in order to offset their contribution to climate change; provided that it is regulated and used effectively.

Keywords

• tourism
• sustainable tourism
• climate change
• polluters pay principle