Waste minimization practices among tourism businesses: A multi-year comparison

To date, research on waste minimization practices within the tourism industry focuses primarily on the hospitality sector, is geographically limited, and addresses practices cross-sectionally. In contrast, this study tracked waste minimization practices in various tourism industry sectors over time in the U.S. state of Minnesota. Online questionnaires distributed to tourism entities throughout the state in 2007, 2010 and 2013 inquired about implementation of twelve waste minimization practices: six eco-intelligent purchasing practices, two waste reduction practices, one practice that procures reusables, and three recycling-related practices. Nine practices were implemented by a moderate to high percentage of respondents. Over time, implementation of six practices significantly differed, with increases in five practices and a decrease in one. Implementation changes over time may be explained by ease of implementation, businesses' increased awareness, and availability of waste minimization infrastructure. Future research needs to understand rationales behind implementation and consider case studies to illustrate best practices.