Linking climate concern to vacation pleasures

This article explores how climate concerns can be aligned with the desires of those who go on vacations and travel. It is based on a primarily qualitative study focusing on individuals aged 50–75 in Denmark – which is a high-income country with widespread carbon-intensive travelling – and it examines three interlinked issues: (a) the pleasures that travellers seek, (b) whether such pleasures can be fulfilled through less resource-intensive practices, and (c) the barriers to adopting more climate-conscious behaviours. The findings show that climate-friendly vacation forms can offer meaningful experiences comprising most of the core pleasures associated with vacationing, but a shift in cultural narratives and social norms is required. The study highlights the importance of socio-cultural dimensions in tourism transitions and recommends that the tourism industry and media promote alternative imaginaries of the good holiday to support sustainable change.