Younger travellers value sustainability more than older people, according to a new survey commissioned by the Spanish Tourism Office in the UK.
Overall, 86% of British respondents value sustainability as either ‘important’ or ‘very important’ when selecting a holiday destination.
The figure rises to 94% amongst 18–24-year-olds but drops to 75% amongst those aged 65 and above.
When asked which destinations they could easily travel to and around sustainably, the UK was the top choice (74%).
Outside of the UK, 66% of the 1,800 people asked said it is easy to have a sustainable holiday in Spain, followed by France (65%), Germany (59%) and Italy (57%).
Despite this, just 12% of respondents could provide a concrete example of the measures Spain has taken to become more sustainable as a travel destination.
STO director Manuel Butler said: “Sustainability lies at the heart of our tourism strategy and is a vital part of our government agenda.
“We have ambitious targets in place to support and deliver on the 2030 sustainable development agenda and significant funds have been invested to ensure we deliver on these goals which include the distribution of funds to our regions to help fund energy efficiency and circular economy projects.
“It’s important for us to understand the attitudes and perceptions of the UK public to help inform our strategy.
“Whilst we are pleased that 66% of respondents think it’s easy to have a sustainable holiday in Spain, we need to work harder to communicate our initiatives.”