Gavin Brooking, UK managing director at Tootbus, says companies that take steps to become more environmentally friendly will reap the rewards in the long run
The climate emergency is one that no one can claim to be unaware of. Or, indeed, the responsibility we all have to ‘do our bit’.
2022 will go down on record as, officially, one of the hottest years ever. And recent data from the World Meteorological Organization confirms that, the last eight years combined were the hottest documented by modern science.
Our industry depends upon the beauty of the wonderful world around us. Consequently, we need to be actively working on ways to reduce planetary impact when enjoying the splendour of travel.
Recently, I joined a diverse panel of industry-leading innovators, united in striving to curate new services and inventive products which have sustainability at their core. Already, brilliant things are happening across industries and products, with fellow panellists showcasing sports clothing made from recycled bottles and a new eco-friendly method to pack and transport alcohol.
However, there are also still a lot of businesses that only seem to be talking the talk. Far from also walking the walk, the infamous ‘greenwashing’ phenomenon remains rife.
Still, too many businesses see sustainability as a tick box exercise. Or, worse, as a way to save money in the tax benefits proffered to companies that make some of the right moves. Certain investments are reliant on being seen as doing the right thing – but we need more than token ‘right move’ gestures, we need real and meaningful action.
More than a marketing opportunity
The issue lies in that making net zero pledges and claiming to be working toward certain green targets is not enough. It is positive to set deadlines for achieving levels of sustainability that are presently out of the scope of available technology, but consumers need to see that meaningful strides are being taken in achieving those goals right now.
Questions need to be asked to certify this: are you investing in the development of the required technology? Do you have research and proof of concept projects in play?
The right investments must be made so that environmental targets are being strived towards instead of waiting passively for the science to evolve in time. Aside from the cost-saving benefits, there is huge profit potential, not to mention the critical futureproofing, in taking decisive action.
Listen to your audience
Climate change is front of mind for consumers. Many surveys have shown that travellers want to ensure that their leisure and business trips are kinder to the planet. At Tootbus, our own research has created a barometer to gauge how current attitudes to green issues are likely to shape travel trends in the future.
We know people want to be more eco-friendly, that’s a given, but importantly, from our research we can see that while 77 per cent of UK travellers acknowledge that eco-friendly tourism is expensive, it is a cost most are willing to pay.
Interestingly, when the UK was compared with our European cousins, we are the most likely to opt for operators and attractions that are environmentally aware (86 per cent), and for the ‘greener’ choice they’re happy to pay 16.5 per cent more (French travellers would pay 10.8 per cent more and Belgian 11.8 per cent more).
Also, us Brits are more likely to consider sustainability when booking a short break than our European counterparts. Almost half of Britons (49 per cent) say preserving the environment in their holiday destination is ‘very important’, ahead of the French and Belgians (42 per cent and 37 per cent respectively).
Futureproofing your business might come at a cost, but it does across all avenues. No one is upgrading their business technology for a bargain. But the research shows that in addition to the fact that consumers will pay a premium for a better product or experience, they will also part with more money in the belief that they are doing so for the benefit of our planet.
Collaboration is key
There are some fantastic initiatives throughout the travel sector and I expect we’ll soon see greater standardisation when it comes to measurement to inform our actions. There won’t be one entity which leads the way in radical change for the rest of the sector to follow. We all need to work together to take meaningful steps in the right direction as a united force in order to deliver meaningful change.
So, as the ever-profound Vanilla Ice once said, we need to ‘Stop, collaborate and listen’:
- Stop: thinking of sustainability as a marketing tool and make real, operational changes.
- Collaborate: as an industry and find a consistent, transparent, and standardised form of measurement that serves as a foundation for action.
- Listen: to the consumer. The long-term game means investing to create the products and services which we know now that many are willing to pay extra for, and will benefit not only your business, but the very future of our planet.