This document summarizes a study on the benefits and difficulties of adopting sustainable practices among the Minnesota tourism industry from 2007 to 2013. The study found that over 80% of respondents agreed that sustainable practices could improve organizational image, attract new customers, improve customer perception and prospects, and increase environmental protection. However, initial financial costs and the time and energy required were still seen as difficulties by over 75% of respondents. Overall, the perceived lack of information and interest from consumers decreased over time, suggesting greater awareness of sustainability issues.

1. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
THE BENEFITS & DIFFICULTIES OF
ADOPTING SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES
AMONG THE MN TOURISM INDUSTRY
University of Minnesota Tourism Center is a collaboration of University of Minnesota Extension and the College of
Food, Agricultural & Natural Resource Sciences. Thank you to Carlson Chair for Travel, Tourism & Hospitality for
sponsoring the project, Explore Minnesota Tourism for partnering, Daniel Erkkila, Ph.D., Cynthia Messer, and Mary
Vitcenda for their contributions to the report, and Katrina Nygaard for assisting with this poster.
Xinyi Qian, Ph.D., Ingrid Schneider, Ph.D., Tourism Center; Pat Simmons, Explore Minnesota Tourism
Perceived Benefits 2007-2013 Perceived Difficulties 2007-2013
Figure 1. Agreement with potential benefits of sustainable business practices (n=426-581).
Agreement with 2 benefits changed significantly over time (Figure 1
above).
Improved organizational image: 2007 > 2010 (F= 3.57, p < 0.05)
Increased environmental protection: 2013> 2010 (F = 5.13, p < 0.05)
Figure 2. Agreement with potential difficulties of sustainable business practices (n=426-581).
Agreement with 2 difficulties decreased significantly from 2007 to
2013 (Figure 2 above).
Lack of information: 2013< 2007; F = 3.34, p < 0.05)
Lack of interest within consumer base: 2013<2007 (F=4.34, p < 0.05).
Perceived Benefits
in 2013
Introduction
> 80% of respondents agreed or
strongly agreed with 5 of 8 benefits
> 75% of respondents agreed or
strongly agreed with 2 of 10 difficulties
•Improved organizational image
•Attracting new clientele
•Improved customer perception
•Remaining competitive
•Improved customer prospects
•Initial financial cost
•Time & energy
Methods
Questionnaire: Online to tourism
entities in a U.S. state (MN).
Content: Perceived benefits &
difficulties to implement
sustainable practices.
Sample size & Completion rate:
• 2007: n=451, rate=19%
• 2010: n=581, rate=17%
• 2013: n=426, rate=12%
Analysis: Descriptive statistics &
Analysis of Variance in SPSS
What is Sustainable Tourism?
Meeting the needs of present
tourists while protecting &
enhancing future tourism
opportunities (WTO).
What did this study do?
Document changes in perceived
benefits & difficulties to
implement sustainability practices
by a breadth of tourism entities in
Minnesota.
Why did we conduct this study?
Create baseline information &
compare attitudes & practices
across time.
Discussion: A set of perceived benefits & challenges to sustainable tourism remains constant. The increased perception of sustainable practices
as beneficial to the environment may cultivate an intrinsic motivation which is conducive to the actual implementation of sustainable practices.
Decreased agreement with improved organizational image may reflect society’s increasing expectation of sustainable practices as an integral part
of business. Decreased agreement with lack of information indicates at least some information has been diffused. The realized interest within the
consumer base reveals recognition of consumers’ interest. Future research: Assess attitudes toward specific practices, continue tracking,
compare sector perceptions, and compare findings with other states or countries.
Discussion & Future Research
Perceived Difficulties
in 2013