Title: Life cycle assessment in the framework of sustainable tourism: a preliminary examination of its effectiveness and challenges

Authors: Camillo De Camillis, Andrea Raggi, Luigia Petti

Addresses: Dipartimento di Scienze, Universita degli Studi 'G. d'Annunzio', Viale Pindaro, 42, Pescara 65127, Italy. ' DASTA – Dip. delle Scienze Aziendali, Statistiche, Tecnologiche e Ambientali, Universita degli Studi 'G. d'Annunzio', Viale Pindaro, 42, Pescara 65127, Italy. ' DASTA – Dip. delle Scienze Aziendali, Statistiche, Tecnologiche e Ambientali, Universita degli Studi 'G. d'Annunzio', Viale Pindaro, 42, Pescara 65127, Italy

Abstract: The environmental sustainability of tourism has been increasingly appearing in Local Agenda 21 and in the development policies of many countries. Although several studies have focused on sustainable tourism, only a few of them are based on life cycle assessment (LCA), the main methodology to assess environmental issues from a life cycle perspective. In order to gain a better understanding of the limited application of LCA in the tourism sector, the authors have critically reviewed the international literature and have carried out a case study on an Italian hotel. In this paper, results of such an implementation are concisely presented. From this study, key points for LCA development are envisaged, and the role of LCA in the framework of sustainable tourism is analysed.

Keywords: sustainable tourism; life cycle assessment; LCA; life cycle management; LCM; life cycle thinking; accommodation; tourist services; hospitality; lodgings; hotels; Italy; sustainability.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2010.037776

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2010 Vol.7 No.3, pp.205 - 218

Published online: 28 Dec 2010 *

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