The concept of the green economy has now entered mainstream policy debates and been endorsed by a range of United Nations and other organizations. It is increasingly recognized that the tourism sector can make a major contribution to the green economy through more sustainable practices, climate change mitigation and ecotourism. This book provides a comprehensive set of tourism debates, early responses, on-going and emerging research initiatives that will enable tourism’s transition to a green economy. The chapters address three key themes: understanding the Green Economy concept and the role of tourism; responses and initiatives in greening tourism; and emerging techniques and research implications. A wide range of case studies from around the world and in different contexts is included, to demonstrate the extent of the challenge and range of opportunities for the tourism industry.

Part 1: Understanding the Concept of Green Economy and the Role of Tourism 1. Introduction: Tourism in the Green Economy Maharaj Vijay Reddy and Keith Wilkes 2. Defining the Green Economy and the Potential Role of Green Tourism Adrian Newton 3. Environmental Ethics and Challenges to Tourism’s Place in the Green Economy Andrew Holden 4. Green Jobs and Employment in Tourism Adele Ladkin and Edith Szivas 5. The Role of Nature-based Tourism in the Green Economy: A Broader Perspective for Conservation and Sustainability in the Philippines Corazon Catibog-Sinha 6. Philosophy and Performance of Tourism and Leisure as Green Economy in Protected Areas Agita Livina, and Dzintra Atstaja 7. Green Economy in Biosphere Reserves: A Means to Poverty Reduction, Biodiversity Conservation, and Sustainable Development in Sub-Saharan Africa Melody Ocloo 8. Ecotourism Regulation and the Move to a Green Economy Colin Crawford and Jared Sternberg 9. China's Tourism’s March Forward: Towards a Green Transition or Unsustainable Tourism Michael O' Regan Part 2: Best Practices for the Greening of Tourism and Allied Industries 10. The Potential of Energy Tourism: A Multiple Case Study on Renewable Energy-based Tourist Attractions Lena-Marie Lun, Michael Volgger and Harald Pechlaner 11. Eco-Certification and Labelling Programs of Hotels in China: Policy Perspectives for Sustainable Tourism and a Greener Economy Fu Jia and Ralph Wahnschafft 12. Ecotourism as a Mechanism for Achieving a Green Economy in Developing Countries: Experiences from Ghana Patrick Brandful Cobbinah, Rosemary Black and Rik Thwaites 13. Responses and Green Tourism Initiatives on National Parks in Sabah, Malaysia Jennifer Kim Lian Chan, Vikneswaran Nair and Sridar Ramachandran 14. The Seychelles: Working Towards a Green Economy Rachel Welton 15. Destination Ukraine: Tourism Litmus of Transition to Green Economy Victoria Kiptenko and Pavlo Doan 16. Sri Lanka and Tourism: The Need for a Green Economy Approach Jeremy Buultjens, Athula Gnanapala and Iraj Ratnayake 17. Local Food: Greening the Tourism Value Chain Susan L. Slocum 18. The Role of Green Events in a Green Economy Bill Merrilees, Dale Miller and Amelia Green Part 3: Research Implications and Emerging Issues 19. A Micro-Macro Assessment of Climate Change and Visitors to the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area, Australia Tazim Jamal, Bruce Prideaux, Hana Sakata and Michelle Thompson 20. Thailand’s Samui Island: An Analysis of the Tourism Industry’s Transition Towards Green Economy Gunjan Saxena, Nisarat Thaithong and Dimitrios Tsagdis 21. Greening the High-spend Visitor: Implications for Destination Marketing Emma Whittlesea, Victoria Hurth and Sheela Agarwal 22. Steps Towards a Green Economy: Which Factors Contribute to the Social Inclusion and Economic Development of the Locals in Brazilian Tourism Industry Gilson Zehetmeyer Borda, Elimar Pinheiro do Nascimento, Helena Araújo Costa, João Paulo Faria Tasso and Everson Cristiano de Abreu Meireles 23. Economic Greenwash: On the Absurdity of Tourism and Green Growth Michael Hall