Growing interest in sustainable travel - surveys

ANNE KRUGER, GSTBlog - Sustainable travel has been a buzzword for some time now, but surveys reveal that cost is still king with consumers.

A report by the World Travel & Tourism Council has shown that consumers are in favour of sustainable travel but that cost is the biggest influence on their choices. The report, "Bridging the Say-Do Gap", explores the disconnect between what travellers ay about sustainability and the choices they ultimately make.

Visibility

It provides guidance on how businesses can address this gap by offering solutions that make sustainable travel both more accessible and more attractive, ultimately balancing economic growth and environmental responsibility.

Across all consumer segments, more than 50% say cost is the most important factor influencing purchasing decisions, while around 30% prioritise quality.

A lack of visibility remains a significant barrier to progress. Over 10% of respondents report no exposure to sustainability messaging or information through any channel, including mainstream media, social platforms or community-driven initiatives.

Julia Simpson, WTTC president and CEO, says: "Customers expect businesses to create affordable sustainable options. By closing the say-do gap, we not only protect the planet but ensure more rewarding experiences for customers and a more resilient future for the planet."

Another report, Booking.com’s 2024 Sustainable Travel Report, sheds more light on the evolving landscape of sustainable travel.

While this research reveals a continued sense of desire and awareness, with 83% of travellers confirming that sustainable travel is important to them, new insights show ongoing challenges that travellers experience to make more sustainable travel choices. 

Certifications 

Says Danielle D’Silva, Head of Sustainability of Booking.com: "It’s important that we continue ensuring that more sustainable options are not only readily available, but also easy to trust and understand. That’s where we believe further education, clear and consistent standards and credible third-party certification of legitimate sustainable practices across the travel experience can really help."

Coming across an accommodation labelled as more sustainable is more appealing to almost half of travellers (45%). Consistency of certification standards is critical to identifying these options with 67% agreeing that all travel booking sites should use the same sustainable certifications or labels.

According to a third report, the Trip.com Group Sustainable Travel Consumer Report, recent years have seen a growing number of people endorse more sustainable travel, with an increasing preference for providers to offer options with environmental and social impact in mind.

This year’s report also notably highlights the growing urgency to raise market awareness of more sustainable travel, including by providing more transparent labelling and removing barriers to making more environmentally conscious choices.

Most global travellers now see access to information about more sustainable travel options as a consumer right rather than a novel or secondary concern, signalling a new norm.

Sustainable travel carries the assumption that humans are temporary guests in the homes of wildlife. With this understanding comes a spontaneous commitment to protect and nurture the delicate ecosystems we explore. Many travellers are increasingly vigilant against the purchase of wildlife products like ivories and have purposefully dedicated their journeys to the preservation of nature and its diverse species.

Apart from a lack of user education, growing price sensitivity at a time of economic challenge and soaring living costs contributes to people's ambivalence toward sustainable travel, which often comes with extra fee.

One solution is to make more sustainable options more available and visible. Simple steps like showing a sustainable certificate and dispensing sustainable travel tips also win over travellers.