How do you involve tourists to adapt to climate change needs? That is one of the questions the TransformAr project is trying to answer. Verhaert and ADEME co-organised a panel discussion dedicated to providing insights into how you can actively involve tourists to contribute to water conservation in a non-intrusive way. During Verhaert’s visit to the archipelago, they also kicked-of their large scale nudging experiment.

Field trip to Guadeloupe

In preparation for the nudging experiment, two Verhaert employees embarked on a field trip to Guadeloupe from February 19th to 23rd. During their visit, they engaged with a diverse array of stakeholders, including hotel managers, tourist accommodation owners, and industry representatives. The trip served multiple purposes, including forging connections with potential participants for the nudging experiment, updating materials used in the pilot phase @Les Galets Rouges, and participating in the Tourist Involvement Event in collaboration with Ademe.

Event

A highlight of the field trip was the collaborative event hosted by Ademe and Verhaert on February 22nd, which brought together stakeholders from the tourism sector. The event featured a dynamic panel discussion centred on the engagement of visitors in the local climate change adaptation process. Key objectives of the event included:

  • The kick-off of the full scale nudging experiment in Guadeloupe by distributing nudging material kits comprising digital shower sensors, informational brochures, and educational stickers.
  • Showcasing the sustainability efforts undertaken by hosting providers and discussing their impact on visitors.
  • Presenting existing technical and financial mechanisms supporting these efforts, including the Sustainable Tourism Fund and the Local Adaptation Fund of ADEME, as well as regional support initiatives like Le Nord Guadeloupe.

Launch of the experiment

During the field trip and the event, nudging material kits were handed out to participating hotels and other tourist accommodations. This marked the beginning of the full nudging experiment (a pilot phase took place from October 23 until February 24). The materials will be installed in approximately 100 bathrooms across the archipelago during the first part of March 24. Following this, 3 weeks of base measurements will take place where only the shower sensors are installed but no nudging will take place. After these 3 weeks, the other nudging materials will be installed and the tourists will be nudged to consume less water in the shower.

The experiment will continue until August 2024, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness of nudging strategies in promoting sustainable tourism practices in Guadeloupe.