ZOOM-IN #1. Sustainable tourism : why good intentions are not enough? Insights from behavioural sciences.

Let’s start with the last question. Quitting smoking, driving slower, eating less sugar, reading more, exercising regularly… the list of behaviours that we know are good for our health, safety or wellbeing is endless. Yet most of us don’t follow through. Why?

Behavioural sciences help us better understand the hidden mechanisms behind our choices, by exploring the psychological, social, and emotional factors that shape decision-making. They challenge the traditional idea that humans are perfectly rational decision-makers, showing that many of our decisions are made quickly and subconsciously, especially when we are tired, distracted, or juggling multiple tasks.

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Is taking the escalator to get to the gym the most rational decision one can take?  - This image has been generated by Artificial Intelligence

Behavioural sciences offer valuable insights into how people think and act, revealing the hidden factors that shape our everyday decisions. Let’s take a look at some of its key findings

One brain, two systems to take decisions

Behavioural sciences show that human decision-making depends on two cognitive system: System 1 [intuitive] and System 2 [rational]. In System 1, decisions are made quickly, relying on mental shortcuts, routines, emotions, and social influences. By contrast, System 2 involves slower, more deliberate thinking that requires effort to analyse, compare, and evaluate different options. The context and the decision-maker’s state of mind determine which of these two systems dominates at a given moment.

In everyday situations, when we are tired, pressed for time or distracted, we are more likely to use System 1, choosing the easiest or most familiar option available, relying on intuitive shortcuts. On the other hand, when faced with decisions we perceive as particularly important, we tend to activate System 2, devoting more time and attention to careful analysis.

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Knowing is not enough: the intention-action gap

Our choices are not always rational or based on our effective knowledge of a situation. Education and information campaigns may raise awareness, stimulate reflection, and inspire good intentions, but they do not automatically lead to action. Surveys on tourism, for example, consistently show that most travellers are aware of sustainability issues and willing to change their habits. But when researchers compare stated intentions with actual behaviours, the pattern is reversed: the gap between intention and action becomes clear [1].

The challenge of behavioural tactics is therefore not about motivating people, but it is about helping them bridge the gap between intention and action. While communication and pedagogy can generate intentions, it is behavioural interventions that trigger real change.  

Context matters

The decision-making process is strongly shaped by the environment and conditions at the moment of choice. We may act differently depending on how choices are presented:

• If healthy foods are placed at eye level, we are more likely to pick them.
• If a hotel sets towel reuse as the default option, more guests will go along with it.
• If bike rental stations are visible and easy to use, more people will choose them

In short, context doesn’t just influence decisions, but it shapes them. That’s why understanding context is essential for predicting and guiding behaviour. For example, if the default option in a hotel is daily room cleaning, most guests will accept it. But if the default switches to “clean only on request,” many will accept that option instead.

Emotions and psychological conditions matter too!

Psychological states such as mood, stress levels, or mental fatigue play a big role in our decisions. A positive mood can make individuals more open to new ideas and more cooperative, whereas negative moods can increase caution or pessimism. High stress levels or cognitive overload often pushes us to take shortcuts (called heuristics), choosing the quickest, easiest, or most familiar option rather than the most thoughtful one.

Our cognitive systems also function through cognitive biases, which are the unconscious leanings, priorities, and inclinations that influence our everyday perceptions and decisions.  For example, the choice of a holiday destination can be influenced by social bias or stereotypes, reflecting the positive or negative perceptions that most people around us have of that destination. Our past experiences and personal history also play an important role, as they shape the tendencies and preferences that guide our choices.

It is important to note that emotional and psychological influences can affect not only our choices, but also how we make decisions, how quickly and deeply we reflect, and even whether or not we consider alternatives.

Behavioural sciences show that most of our choices are irrational, and that we are influenced by the context around us far more often than we realize. That also applies when we are on holiday, and even more so when we are on holiday!

When we prepare our trips and are on vacation, we constantly face decisions:  what to visit and when, what to eat and where, which mode of transport to use, where to stay… Moreover, when we are on vacation, we tend to be more relaxed, less attentive, and less concerned about the impact of our actions. For example, even if we are diligent about recycling at home, once on holiday we often tend to slack off… unless sustainable habits are made effortless to maintain.

Accessible, well-placed bins, clear signage, and simple graphic instructions naturally encourage us to do the right recycle gestures. On the other hand, if the process is confusing or requires too much effort, we are likely to abandon the habit.

As Milena Nikolova, expert in behavioural sciences applied to tourism, explains:

Most guests do not intend to waste energy or generate piles of waste. They simply do what feels easiest, most familiar, or most appealing in the moment. On holiday, when people make dozens of decisions a day, from what to eat to which tour to book, they rarely pause to evaluate the sustainability impact.  

This is exactly why behavioural tactics can be so powerful in tourism. By making sustainable choices easier, more visible, more enjoyable, or simply the default, we can significantly reduce visitors' footprint without negatively affecting their perception of service quality.

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The Pasta is better than plastic campaign promoted among bartenders in Italy to encourage the use of pasta instead of plastic straws.

The testing and implementation of behavioural tactics are still being explored by the tourism industry and destinations. However, most experts agree that, especially when integrated or combined with other measures, such as information and awareness campaigns, specific trainings for tourism companies, sustainable urban planning, green mobility facilities, they can play a key role in shaping the perception of sustainability as the norm rather than the exception.

Reducing plate seize to reduce food waste

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This image has been generated by Artificial Intelligence

An experiment [2], conducted in 52 Norwegian hotels between June and August 2012 , the size of plates was reduced from 24 to 21cm. A sign displayed at the buffet encouraged restaurant guests to help themselves more than once. The text read, in seven languages: “Welcome back! Again! And again! Visit our buffet many times. That’s better than taking a lot once”. The experiment has demonstrated that:

• the reduction of plate size has led to a reduction of food waste by 20 %
• customer satisfaction remained essentially unchanged before and during the experimentation. This suggests that these interventions do not have negative effects on the visitors’ experience.

This behavioural tactic has been widely replicated in different contexts.

"To clean, or not to clean", the power of default options

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This image has been generated by Artificial Intelligence

A field study [3] conducted in a three-star hotel in Ljubljana (192 rooms) during the summer of 2019 examined how default settings influence guest behaviour with regard to room cleaning. Guests were exposed to two different situations:

1. Daily cleaning as the default: Rooms were cleaned automatically each day unless guests opted out by displaying a “Please do not clean my room” sign on their door.
2. No daily cleaning as the default: Guests were informed through a clear message that their rooms would only be cleaned upon request. They could opt in by placing a “Please clean my room” sign on their door.

In some of the “green by default” rooms, an additional pro-environmental message was displayed:

“Please note that each time we clean a room, we use 100 ml of chemicals, 35 L of water, and 1.5 kWh of electricity. You can make a difference and reduce the environmental impact of your stay by requesting cleaning only when needed. Please help us protect the environment.”

Results showed that:

• switching from the default daily automatic cleaning to on-demand cleaning significantly reduced the number of rooms cleaned, with only 32% of guests requesting cleaning on average.
• adding an environmental argument did not further reduce cleaning overall, but it did influence specific segments of guests, suggesting that tailored environmental messaging can enhance the impact of behavioural interventions.

The First Mile project:  more than 30 behavioural tactics tested in real tourism settings

The EU project First Mile supported 80 tourism companies across Europe between 2022 and 2025 in implementing and testing behavioural tactics to reduce their environmental footprints and encourage more sustainable behaviours among visitors.

The first results are quite significant [4] :

• 46% reduction in waste onboard sailing adventures, by providing guests with smart shopping tips before they arrive.
• 100% of guests visited at least one less-frequented site when offered three enticing suggestions described as “hidden gems”.
• 24% drop in room energy consumption per guest, achieved by setting a lower default room temperature.

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Examples of results reached by the First Mile project

Another interesting finding was that “multiple small, smart changes can combine to produce system-level effects. Tweaks in service design accumulate into tipping points that shift norms (…) and responsible behaviours begin to feel like the norm rather than the exception”.

Among its key conclusions, the project demonstrated that behavioural tactics make sustainability more tangible and achievable for SMEs, inspiring them to go even further. Companies and experts involved in the project concluded that, by broadening the focus from individual businesses to entire territories, the ideal scenario would be one where companies' efforts go hand in hand with public policies. Could the behavioural approach serve as a bridge to foster the much-needed joint commitment between the public and private sectors?

A toolkit presenting the tactics and the results is available on the First Mile website.

While it is true that some behavioural tactics have proven their efficacity and can be easily replicated and implemented in different contexts, the design of behavioural tactics requires a quite methodical process. The first step is to define the problem in behavioural terms, then conduct an accurate analysis of the context including data research and evaluation, and a diagnosis of behavioural barriers and biases, before finally beginning to design the tactic/nudge. Next, the tactics need to be tested and adjusted!  

Design and behavioural challenges abound in the FOOTPRINTS project! The behavioural dimension can be integrated into all the main actions of the project, including:

• Developing a digital gamification platform that offers visitors fun challenges, rewarded with local products and experiences.
• Redesigning urban spaces and itineraries to improve accessibility and encourage social connections in the city centre.
• Promoting green mobility through improved infrastructure and incentives.
• Training local tourism operators to reduce their environmental impact.

The project offers a real opportunity to enhance the sustainability of the Ravenna region. For each of these actions, it is essential to understand how people behave and make decisions in order to turn good ideas into concrete changes.

The gamification app, designed to nudge visitors towards more sustainable choices, could simplify and facilitate responsible decisions by applying behavioural tactics such as limiting available options, creating intuitive visuals, organising choices into clear sets, and implementing an effective reward system. A user-centered design approach will also be adopted: selected visitors, recruited through a dedicated FOOTPRINTS campaign will test the app and provide feedback on its functionality and features. This testing phase, running between October and November 2025, will enable Ravenna to identify and engage active participants.

The behavioural approach will also play a crucial role in the design of urban spaces, itineraries, and new bike rental hubs. More bicycles and intermodal mobility services will be made available to visitors, but their use will largely depend on their design. Clear signage, intuitive layouts, simple instructions, and well-located stations can make all the difference in encouraging people to choose cycling.

Finally, the training for local operators could include a module dedicated to behavioural tactics, drawing for instance on the results and toolkits developed as part of the First Mile project, as mentioned above.

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FOOTPRINTS, a great opportunity to experiment with nudges and behavioural tactics in Ravenna.

To know more about behavioural sciences and tourism, a selection of websites offering a dedicated section on the topic:

• First Mile project : https://firstmileproject.eu/resources/behavioral-science-tourism/
• Behaviour Smart blog : https://behavior-smart.com/knowledge-corner/
• OECD - Observatory of public sector Innovation  : https://oecd-opsi.org/publications/behavioural-science-for-sustainable-tourism-insights-and-policy-considerations-for-greener-tourism/

Notes: 

[1] For example, the Sustainable Travel Report published by Booking.com in 2023 revealed that 72% of travellers believed it was urgent to make more sustainable travel choices.

[2] Kallbekken, Steffen & Sælen, Håkon. (2013). ‘Nudging’ hotel guests to reduce food waste as a win–win environmental measure. Economics Letters. 119. 325–327.

[3] Knezevic Cvelbar, L., Grün, B., & Dolnicar, S. (2019). “To Clean or Not to Clean?” Reducing Daily Routine Hotel Room Cleaning by Letting Tourists Answer This Question For Themselves. Journal of Travel Research

[4] First Mile Journey: Turning Behavioral Science into an Actionable Program, Behavior Smart https://behavior-smart.com/behavioral-science-first-mile/