British Travel Trade Fair 2007
As many as 12% of travel customers chose not to book a holiday last year because of concerns about its effect on the environment.
An online survey of nearly 1,000 British web users commissioned by VisitBritain revealed the degree to which consumers are actively discriminating against operators who they believe do not have green credentials.
Launching the Sustainable Tourism 2007 report at the British Travel Trade Fair, VisitBritain quality development executive Jason Freezer said companies are going to have to move quickly if they are to keep pace with the changing demands of customers.
He added: “I think the 12% represents the deep greens at the moment but I would expect the figure to as much as double in the next two years because consumer awareness is only going to increase.”
While the number of people steering clear of companies with poorly perceived environmental records is significant, the proportion of consumers actively choosing greener breaks is still much smaller.
Just 2% said they had taken a sustainable holiday abroad in 2006 while 3% had taken one in the UK.
A further 6% said they had chosen a break because of its low environmental impact while 8% took a holiday that had a positive impact on the destination’s local community.
In contrast, 69% said they had not taken or did not know if they had taken an environmentally friendly holiday.
Freezer added the trade should prepare for a growth of holidays taken in the UK and nearby countries after 13% of respondents said they had used public transport to go on holiday in a deliberate attempt to cut their carbon footprint.
He said this figure will grow rapidly, adding: “The 2012 London Olympics will only see the public transport links improve.”
- To buy the full report, go to Tourismreports.co.uk
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