MCLEAN, VA.—Travel industry professionals understand that green initiatives are good for the environment, but may find themselves wondering, especially in the current economic climate, is green good for business? The recently released study, “Going Green: The Business Impact of Environmental Awareness on Travel,” from PhoCusWright, with industry partners The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Foundation and Sustainable Travel International, evaluates U.S. consumer values and attitudes surrounding green travel to help companies understand how best to design their initiatives and communications to match consumer expectations.
“This report was designed to give companies insight into what consumers expect of them and highlight opportunities to build value and relevance in the travel marketplace,” says Carroll Rheem, director, research at PhoCusWright. “What we found is that green is truly not just a social movement; the environment has become an additional stakeholder that no company can afford to ignore.”
PhoCusWright’s survey of U.S. travelers finds that 56 percent are skeptical of what companies are telling them about green practices and only 8 percent think it is easy to find green travel options.
More Green Options Available
“The travel industry is making a concerted effort to make green options available to consumers,” says Fran Brasseux, executive vice president of HSMAI Foundation. “Clear and transparent communication of these efforts will yield great rewards for our industry.”
According to PhoCusWright’s study, 44 percent of U.S. travelers consider environmental impact to be important to them when planning travel. The high propensity of green supporters to vote with their wallet leaves opportunities for premiums for green travel. Nearly one-third of U.S. travelers would pay such premiums, but these savvy consumers are looking for practices that go above and beyond cursory measures.
“With consumers keeping a close watch on their spending, they need to know that a company has gone the extra mile to implement green initiatives like renewable energy, zero waste and carbon management practices,” explains Sustainable Travel International president, Brian T. Mullis. “The fact that almost half of American travelers have these expectations and consider the environment when making travel decisions during these tough economic times is evidence that the green movement has become part of consumer and corporate culture.”
Travel companies must convey a sense of quality and accuracy when communicating with green consumers. PhoCusWright’s study allows travel companies to thoroughly evaluate the benefit of green strategies by surveying the U.S. traveling consumer population and determining its propensity to make environmentally conscious travel decisions. The report isolates the attitudes, preferences and purchase habits of each group and determines each one’s willingness to pay for green travel options.
For more information, visit www.phocuswright.com.
