Examining tourists’ intention to use electric vehicle-sharing services

Abstract

Tourists’ mobility is closely linked with the concept of sustainable tourism, since it affects issues that are related with the local economies and the environment. The seasonality of the transport demand in touristic areas results in traffic congestion phenomena and extensive air pollution. At the same time, the touristic areas have to serve the special mobility needs of tourists, in order to be competitive and increase their market. For reducing the negative impacts of demand seasonality and serving the tourists efficiently, innovative mobility concepts and services can contribute. In this framework, a questionnaire study was conducted in the island of Rhodes, Greece aiming to investigate the willingness of tourists to use shared electric vehicles for intra-destination trips. The responses were analyzed descriptively and through statistical modelling techniques. The results of the analysis show that electric car-sharing can expect a greater demand comparing to electric moto-sharing and electric bike-sharing. Also, the results indicate that electric car-sharing will mainly attract a market share from the traditional car rental schemes. Finally, it seems that the intention of tourists to use shared electric vehicles is highly affected by their mobility-related habits and experiences in their hometown.