Tourism is a key driver for economic and social growth in Europe and in the world.
However, if ineffectively managed, tourism can create harm for the natural and historic heritage, and for the resident communities.
Covid-19 caused an unprecedented crisis in the sector, but it also creates an opportunity to reinvent tourism models in a way that does not harm the heritage, the environment and the residents’ quality of life.
In this context, behaviours play a key role. When visiting a destination, tourists make choices and adopt behaviours that can make a difference in the impact of their visit. The behaviour of destinations managers and tourism professionals can play a role too in the way a tourism offer or itinerary is organised and promoted.
The project
Nudge My Tour is a European cooperation project that explores the application of behavioural sciences on the management of tourism flows, and on planning, management and promotion of a tourism destination, experience or itinerary.
Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme, it aims to develop and test training and awareness raising tools about behavioural science and Nudge theory applied to tourism, aimed for current and future tourism professionals and policy makers.
Our goals
- Develop and test training and awareness tools for the application of behavioral sciences to tourism flows management
- Build a community of professionals and experts in tourism and behavioral sciences
- Identify and share examples of nudges and other behavioral science-based measures applied to tourism.
What is Behavioural Science?
Behavioural Science is the systematic study of human behaviour and the design of strategies to intentionally and verifiably change it, leveraging psychological insights and experimental methods from a variety of disciplines, including behavioural economics, psychology, decision science, sociology and neuroscience. In short, it is the science of what we do, why we do it and how we can change it.
What is a nudge?
A nudge is any aspect of the choice architecture that alters people’s behavior in a predictable way without forbidding any options or significantly changing their economic incentives. To count as a mere nudge, the intervention must be easy and cheap to avoid. Nudges are not mandates. Putting fruit at eye level counts as a nudge. Banning junk food does not.
Source: Thaler, R.H. and Sunstein, C.R. (2008). Nudge: Improving Decisions about Health, Wealth, and Happiness. New Haven: Yale University Press, p. 6
Nudge my tour 