Evaluation of the carbon footprint of a holiday farm: What functional unit to use?

Farm-based tourism has a long tradition in Central Europe. In recent years, there has been a significant growth in the supply of farm-based tourism in Italy. Using farms to host tourists has become more widely seen as an effective means of addressing the socio-economic problems of rural areas in general and the agricultural sector in particular. As farm tourism could support local economies and contribute to the preservation of landscapes and cultural heritage in the countryside, farm-based tourism is considered one of the most environmentally sustainable activities among touristic options. Nevertheless, environmental sustainability of holiday farms has still to be assessed. No applications of an environmental assessment method (EAM) to touristic farms can be found in the literature. This study therefore aims at modelling the environmental impacts of a farm holiday as a case study for discussing guidelines in the application of environmental certifications for this commercial activity.