Designing an integrative strategy to introduce electric vehicles in the tourism sector in an outermost region of the European Union

Abstract

The electrification of the rental vehicle fleet in the Canary Islands‘ tourism sector would reduce land transportation emissions by 6%. The success of such a measure would serve as a test laboratory for other outermost regions of the European Union (EU), where dependence on fossil fuels reaches 80%. This paper identifies the main questions to consider in designing an integrative strategy for decarbonizing the Canary Islands tourism sector through electric vehicles (EVs) and provides practical insights for energy policy. Q methodology has been used to extract the opinions of 19 stakeholders representing the diversity of visions regarding 25 statements classified into three pillars: the regulatory framework, stakeholder engagements, and the assessment of implementation mechanisms. The results allow us to identify three well-differentiated perspectives explaining 60% of the variance and providing valuable insights for energy policy. The findings highlight the need for increased confidence in clarifying how the energy transition strategy is defined and fulfilling the proposed objectives. In addition, adequate monitoring and control mechanisms and a reduction in bureaucratic obstacles are necessary. Finally, stakeholders recognize the importance of electrifying the rent-a-car fleet so that hotels can offer charging points in their facilities using green electricity.