Climate change mitigation policy and the tourism sector: perspectives from the South West of England

State intervention has been identified as a critical success factor in attempts to tackle climate change. However, in recent tourism studies of climate change policy analysis has been overlooked. This paper critically examines the efficacy of mitigation policy as it relates to the tourism sector in the UK. Specifically, it investigates the extent to which accommodation providers in South West England have responded to recent policy interventions and instruments, and the prospects for their contributing to the state's commitments on climate change. The paper argues for a more nuanced view of policy analysis in tourism studies of climate change. While evaluation of policy is important, efficacy is a more urgent consideration. Among tourism businesses there has been a weak response to recent mitigation policy. The prospects of accommodation providers delivering a strong contribution to the state's climate change targets is doubtful. State policy is too ambitious and it does not acknowledge the particularities and dynamics of businesses in the tourism sector. Future policy should focus on issues of practical facilitation and making the business case for change more clearly.