When it comes to consumer travel habits and the degree to which sustainability comes into play in their travel decisions, little research has been conducted in recent years. To get a recent picture of how travelers make decisions based on sustainable practices, I recommend getting the 2016 report entitled, “The Role of Sustainability in Travel & Tourism.” Research partners included Sustainable Travel International and Mandala Research. Visit California was the lead research sponsor. The purpose of the study was to learn how travelers make decisions based on sustainable practices and commitments and their economic value to the travel industry. To address the research goals and objectives an online self-administered survey was sent to a demographically representative sample of U.S. participants 18 and older who were screened for specific qualification criteria including recent travel behavior. After the surveys were collected, travelers were divided into two groups: Sustainable Travelers—took at least one trip in the past three years that qualified as “sustainable,” and Other Leisure Travelers—took at least one trip in the past three years, but no trip in the past three years qualified as a “sustainable” trip as defined within the survey. Total sample size was 2,292 so the findings were valid. Here is just a sample of some of the findings from the report:
Survey participants were asked, “How much responsibility do you believe each of the following has for making sure that travelers and their trips do not harm a destination’s people, environment, or economy?” Their options were: Local Government, Travelers, Hotels, National Government, Restaurants, Airlines. Survey participants said Local Government should bear the most burden—64 percent. Fifty-four percent indicated hotels own a great deal of responsibility.
Interestingly, the survey found that Sustainable Travelers are less price-sensitive than all other travelers, with 75 percent saying price/value is a key factor in destination selection. Eighty-eight percent of Other Leisure Travelers indicated that.
More Than 100 Million Sustainable Travelers in U.S.
Survey authors said three-fifths of all leisure travelers (60 percent, representing 105.3 million Americans) can be classified as sustainable travelers, those who have taken at least one sustainable trip type in the past three years.
When asked awareness of the term “sustainable tourism” without an explicit definition, only 36 percent were aware. However, a broad range of responses—economic, cultural, and environmental—were offered when asked what sustainable tourism means to them.
Over two-thirds of all respondents were challenged to offer names of companies that have implemented sustainable practices. Among those providing a company name, Expedia (5 percent) was most commonly mentioned followed by Travelocity (3 percent) and AARP (3 percent).
One survey finding that struck me as significant: Sustainable Travelers spent significantly more money on accommodation, dining, shopping, fuel, and groceries. The total average spend for these travelers was $1,749 compared to $1,154 for All Other Travelers, a 51 percent difference.
To purchase the 80+ page study, click here.
