British holidaymakers are failing to change their travel habits despite increasing concerns about the environment, according to a new study.
Research by meta search engine travelsupermarket.com into UK attitudes to leisure travel and its impact on global warming showed more than half of consumers believe international travel is damaging the environment. A third cited cheap flights as a major cause of global warming in the company’s Green Travel Index.
Only 8% have taken fewer holidays out of concern for the planet, while a third of UK consumers believed it was acceptable to fly regularly if they do other things for the environment such as using enery-saving light bulbs and recycling.
But 93% have never changed where they go on holiday because of the environment and only 16% said they were likely to change their choice of destination in future.
Travelsupermarket.com travel expert Bob Atkinson said: “It’s unrealistic to expect people to give up foreign holidays altogether, but it’s alarming that people are so unwilling to adapt.”
The report also showed nearly half of all UK holidaymakers (46%) do not feel guilty about flying, with the over-55s feeling the least guilty. Regionally, Londoners feel the most guilty, at 25%, and women feel more guilty (23%) than men (18%) about flying.
Atkinson said if it was easier for consumers to make informed choices about greener flights or if UK breaks were cheaper, holidaymakers might think more about the environment before booking.
However, in the report a green tax on flying to reduce environment impact was unpopular – 39% of respondents were not prepared to pay a tax at all even on very low cost flights. Around a third, 31%, were willing to pay a green tax of £1 to £10.
The figures are all from YouGov were commissioned by travelsupermarket.com. The survey was of 6,093 adults, from October 5-10, online.