The allocation of carbon emission reduction target and the realization pathways for tourism industries-challenges and experience of China

Purpose Based on the measurement of efficiency and potential and the emission reduction target allocation, the optimal emission reduction paths are determined for the natural, humanistic and social tourism industries and the key measures are given. Design/methodology/approach First, emission reduction targets are allocated spatially for the three tourism industries based on the measurement of their emission reduction efficiency and potential. Second, emission reduction paths are designed using the matrix model, and the optimal paths are matched for the three tourism industries. Third, key measures are explored for the three tourism industries under their optimal carbon reduction paths. Findings Efficiency and potential should be given prior consideration when allocating tourism emission-reduction targets. The optimal carbon reduction paths for the humanistic, social and natural tourism industries are the path-prioritizing potential, the path-balancing efficiency and potential and the path-prioritizing efficiency, respectively. Key measures. Humanistic tourism: optimizing the energy structure, administrative environment regulation and reducing the degree of factor market distortion; social tourism: improving energy intensity, increasing green investment, promoting intensive production and improving technological efficiency; natural tourism: promoting intensive production, implementing carbon tax and carbon trading and improving total factor productivity. Originality/value Reducing the carbon emissions of the tourism industry effectively with its stable growth is a strategic direction to realize a “win-win” situation. An appropriate carbon reduction path is the foundation, and effective emission reduction measures are crucial. Compared with one-dimensional analysis, the combination of efficiency and potential can reflect the emission reduction capacity and characterize the space for emission reduction.