Assessing Austria's Climate and Energy Model Regions (KEM)

Tourism destinations must transition toward climate neutrality without eroding long-term competitiveness. This study examines Austria's Climate and Energy Model Regions (KEM) program across two tourism-intensive areas, treating destination competitiveness as an outcome of sustainability transitions. A logic model framework (inputs – activities – outputs – outcomes – impacts) analyses how programme design and collaborative governance contribute to sustainability results and destination-level competitiveness. Using a qualitative case-study approach, twenty-five semi-structured interviews with KEM stakeholders were analysed through thematic analysis and triangulated with programme documents. Findings show that KEM inputs (national co-funding, dedicated regional staff, program toolkits) enable activities (stakeholder engagement, energy audits, training) producing tangible outputs (PV installations, eco-certifications) that yield destination-relevant outcomes and impacts. These include reduced energy cost exposure, emissions reductions, stronger resident-business alignment, clearer sustainability branding, greater resilience to energy shocks and increased community well-being. The paper advances the sustainability – competitiveness nexus by offering a logic model-based assessment of a national climate – energy program's destination-level implications. By deriving operational indicators from the competitiveness literature and validating them through triangulated qualitative evidence, the study provides a transferable monitoring template that operationalises the sustainability – competitiveness nexus for destinations undergoing sustainability transitions.