Over half of Brits want to holiday more sustainably and are willing to pay more for it, but the majority (59%) don’t know how to go about it.
Sustainable holidaying will be a trend to watch this year, with 51% of Brits wanting to embrace greener holidays and 50% willing to pay more for a sustainable trip. For 44% of Brits, an eco conscious holiday is more important to them than it has ever been. In fact, over a third of Brits are making sustainable travel a priority in 2023.
A survey from leading sustainable tour operator, Pura Aventura, suggests that this trend stems from the British public wanting to align their travel habits with their broader green lifestyles. Fifty-five percent of people say that they are sustainable in other areas of their life and want this to extend to travel. It is clear that Brits are also acutely aware of the big picture – 38% say their desire to travel more sustainability is due to net zero targets getting closer and the need to make changes to meet them.
Although consumer attitudes towards sustainable holidaying are positive, Pura Aventura’s survey finds that people lack the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding their eco conscious travelling habits. And to address this, 63% of people demand that tour operators step up and help them to holiday more sustainably.
Thomas Power, co-founder and CEO at Pura Aventura, commented: ‘We are seeing an intention action gap with sustainable travel. Clearly, people are doing their bit in other areas – our survey finds that 50% of Brits are reducing their plastic consumption and 44% are thinking about sustainability when it comes to food shopping. And clearly, people want to do more to travel responsibly – plus they are willing to pay more for it, which must be applauded given the current state of the economy – but they need help to make good travel choices. It is critical that tour operators take action that is meaningful, transparent and inspires confidence. Holidaying sustainably provides an unrivalled travel experience while protecting the planet, destinations, and local people from the potential adverse impacts of travel.’
The travel industry generates between 8% and 11% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, showing just how important it is for the industry to provide the means for more widespread sustainable travel.
Thomas added, ‘I believe that the gap between what people say they will do and what they actually do comes down to confusion over all of the different labels and claims out there. Part of the solution lies in travel companies coming together to agree on best practice for measuring and communicating sustainability. This will provide clarity and allow holidaymakers to better understand which travel companies are staying true to their word in offering sustainable trips.’