The report “Opportunities for Greening Leisure Travel Behaviour”, published by the Netherlands Institute for Transport Policy Analysis (KiM), highlights a major challenge for sustainable mobility: around 90 per cent of CO₂ emissions from domestic leisure travel in the Netherlands come from cars. Leisure-related trips - ranging from visits to sports clubs to day trips and holidays - generate approximately 13 megatonnes of CO₂ every year, which is more than twice the emissions from commuting.
Although air travel is the main source of emissions for international holidays, cars dominate when it comes to domestic leisure travel. Around 90 per cent of emissions from leisure travel in the Netherlands come from car use. This is not surprising, given that the alternatives are cycling, walking and public transport, which cause far fewer emissions.”
The report also revealed a discrepancy between intentions and behaviour: many people say they would like to travel more sustainably, yet convenience, habit and social norms often prevail in practice. Some people justify their car use by pointing to their sustainable behaviour in other areas, such as eating vegetarian food or recycling. At the same time, people find it difficult to estimate the emissions associated with different activities. Because leisure travel is seen as essential for well-being and relaxation, people are often less willing to compromise.
According to the report, opportunities for reducing emissions from leisure travel include technological improvements, such as adopting electric cars; expanding alternatives, such as cycling and public transport; encouraging new travel habits, such as car sharing; and working with recreation providers to promote more environmentally friendly choices.
These results highlight the importance of projects like MONA, which was launched in 2023 with the aim of promoting sustainable tourism in and around nature areas in north-western Europe, including the Netherlands. MONA encourages a modal shift, improves inclusive route planning and supports visitors and stakeholders in adopting more sustainable behaviour.