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Water vapor plays an important role in determining the radiative balance of Earth's atmosphere, and variations in stratospheric water vapor (SWV) concentrations have been shown to affect radiative forcing (Forster & Shine, 1999; Solomon et al., 2010), ozone concentrations (Dvortsov & Solomon, 2001), and atmospheric circulation (Maycock et al., 2013). These variations in SWV can occur on subseasonal to decadal timescales, so accurate and continuous global measurements of SWV are essential in order to understand SWV variability over the range of relevant timescales. Although no formal satellite-based monitoring program exists for SWV, a number of temporally overlapping satellite instruments have been making measurements of SWV continuously since the launch of the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II) in

Abstract:Although sustainable tourism concepts are gaining in importance everywhere, related research is quite fragmented with many studies concentrating on environmental sustainability. Seeking to contribute to the general discussion, we first examine the perceptions of sustainability among tourists using a best-worst scaling method applied to important aspects of sustainable tourism. Our results show that experiencing nature in an intense and profound way is considered the most important aspect of sustainable tourism whereas grappling with the culture of the host region is perceived as the least important aspect of sustainable tourism in our sample. Second, we analyze if socio-demographic and/or other factors have significant implications for the propensity to increase expenditures for sustainable holiday offers. Applying a simple regression model, we can show that age has a significant and positive impact on the propensity to spend more on a sustainable holiday offer such as overnight stays in an accommodation that is carbon-neutral. Other socio-demographic variables such as gender, education, and income are not significant. Moreover, hotel stars and average expenditures per person per night are significant and have a positive effect on the propensity to spend more on carbon-neutral housing. Two simple policy implications can be drawn: (1) sustainable tourism experiences should prioritize landscape and natural beauty; and (2) sustainable tourism offers are best suited for higher-priced and/or higher starred hotels.

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