SUSTAINABLE tourism could grow to 25% of the world’s travel market within six years, taking the value of the sector to £250 billion a year.
But travel marketing firm Totem warned companies will have to adapt to changing consumer attitudes in order to benefit.
“Tourists are becoming more aware of the effect of their holiday on the environment and of their unpopularity in certain destinations,” said report authors Valere Tjolle, a former tour operator, and David Siddall.
They criticised the mass-market policies of major companies, which: “Screw hoteliers into the ground to provide a horribly low room rate.”
The pair accused the big tour operators of fuelling “unrealistic aspirations in customers” and “working on an overall profit margin that was always going to be in the suicidal range of sustainable”.
In their report, Sustainable Tourism 2006, the authors say: “Tourists are conscious that their travel and spending is becoming a major force. More and more tourists are committed to environmental awareness.”
It suggests this trend will grow against a background of increased security risks for tourists and of natural disasters in coastal resorts caused by global warming.
The report predicts a growth in eco-resorts and hotels, and a boom in nature tourism – a sector already growing at 20% a year – and suggests early converts to sustainable tourism will make market gains. Green brands will become increasingly important, requiring official accreditation.