Tourism in the Anthropocene: Transition and Challenges of Tourism towards Decarbonized Societies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K12419
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 80020:Tourism studies-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu Sangyo University
• Principal Investigator: Katase Youka 九州産業大学, 地域共創学部, 准教授 (40513263)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 人新世 / ツーリズム / 地球システム / 地球温暖化 / 脱炭素社会 / ソフトツーリズム / 持続可能なツーリズム / ヨーロッパアルプス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study explores what the Anthropocene is, particularly from a perspective of tourism. It overviews its development by identifying a subdivision into three stages, and examines its essence throughout the analysis of the words of P. J. Crutzen, who first proposed that concept. It is suggested that the Anthropocene represents the transformations of the Earth System brought by industrialized societies after the Industrial Revolution, and especially since the 1980s tourism has contributed to such changes as it has rapidly developed and extended. In conclusion, the study points out that the ethical question to be asked regarding the Anthropocene is how we can care for the Earth, what “geo-philia” is, and in so doing, Earth-friendly tourism or soft tourism should be promoted.

Free Research Field

観光学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

人新世という時代に私たちはいかに生活するのか。地球を改変する営力となったツーリズムは人新世時代にどう向き合うべきか。世界のツーリズム研究者は，何を問題とし，それに対してどのような指針を導き出しているのかを探り出し，人新世第3ステージにふさわしい3つのツーリズムを提案した点に学術的な意義がある。そして，これらの考えに基づき，地球にやさしいツーリズム，ソフトツーリズムを通じて，地球の生活維持システムを保護管理し，将来及び現在世代にとって，倫理的で公正な新しい社会の構築に向けた改革推進の必要性を指摘した点に本研究の社会的意義がある。