| Abstract: |
Current public transport supply on the Island of Lanzarote is clearly
insufficient, and opportunities to substitute private automobiles are
extremely limited, for residents and tourists alike. Therefore, this paper
analyzes the possibility of introducing a tourist bus service to connect
Lanzarote’s main tourist attractions, and it also focuses on a move towards
public transport by tourists to reduce the CO2 emitted by excessive private
car usage. This work assesses the impact of road transport in accessing
tourist activities on Lanzarote Island and its implications for sustainable
tourism development. The evaluation is based on the volume of CO2 emissions
for the current tourist mobility model on the island and an alternative option
such as a tourist bus route. The methodology employed here is the application
of a geographical information system (GIS). The study analyzes how to manage
the impact of road access to tourist sites through the implementation of a new
tourist bus line. The study seeks to evaluate the design of a new bus to
deliver tourists to key tourist activities on Lanzarote Island. A GIS-T
algorithm is used to compare the level of CO2 emissions from the current
tourist mobility model versus the implementation of a new touristic bus. The
levels of pollution produced by the present system and the tourist route are
compared, and different levels of demand for the new circuit are considered.
We conclude that in order to reduce the current levels of emissions by around
15%, some 19.4% of the tourists that currently use hire cars would have to
switch to the new tourist bus service. |