More than half of people want to take greener holidays and are willing to pay more for them, but the majority don’t know how to go about it, according to new research.
An eco-conscious holiday is more important for 44% of consumers than it has ever been with more than a third making sustainable travel a priority in 2023.
Poll results released by sustainable operator Pura Adventure suggest that the trend stems from a desire to align travel habits with broader green lifestyles.
More than half of people (55%) say that they are sustainable in other areas of their life and want this to extend to travel.
As many as 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.
But people lack the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding their eco-conscious travelling habits.
Almost two-thirds of people demand that tour operators step up and help them to holiday more sustainably.
Pura Aventura co-founder and chief executive Thomas Power said: “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’s 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.”
He 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.”