LONDON—Few holidaymakers in the United Kingdom are prepared to part with their cash in order to fulfill green travel aspirations, according to a new study. And the Spanish are putting the rest of Europe to shame, boasting a population far more inclined to fund sustainable travel than any others.
According to the TNS Travel & Tourism study, 7 percent of the British have gone so far as to make a payment towards minimizing the impact of their travel—such as a carbon offsetting scheme—compared with 12 percent of Spaniards. With almost a fifth of British people claiming they expect to change travel plans in order to reduce the environmental impact of their journeys, the study shows a sharp contrast between green ideals and the practicalities of paying for sustainable travel.
Britain lagged behind the average of the six countries surveyed, with 19 percent saying they will switch to greener plans, compared to an average of 23 percent. Thirty-two percent of Italians said they will switch to greener options. The study found that Americans are the least inclined to take steps to reduce their environmental impact (16 percent). Germans are the holidaymakers least prepared to pay to fund offsetting projects—just 2 percent of those surveyed have done this.
Air Tax a Hot Issue in Britain
The study results were released at the start of the annual World Travel Market in London where the heated debate over the future of air tax was set to rage. Britain is likely to champion the cause, as it boasts the highest percentage of travelers likely to choose an airline with a reputation for fuel-efficient planes (44 percent versus a cross-country average of 30 percent). Britain is also the country most likely to switch from plane to another form of transport (stated by 37 percent of people questioned) and is strongly in favor of switching from car to public transport (36 percent).
The study found that Americans are the least willing to give up their cars to the green cause, and again it is the Spanish who are the most likely to put some personal effort into achieving a sustainable holiday. Thirty-seven percent of Spaniards questioned would take a holiday involving conservation-related activities, compared to just 23 percent of British people.
“The World Travel Market presents a great opportunity for operators across the industry to share ideas for the future of travel,” says Tom Costley, Head of TNS Travel & Tourism. “There’s no doubt that green travel will be high up the agenda, but operators need to acknowledge that not all holidaymakers think of sustainable tourism in the same way. Our study reveals that the Spanish and Italians are happier to fund offset schemes directly, but the British would much rather take a less direct step, such as switching transport methods. We found that the Germans are the least likely to opt for a green hotel or conservation activities, and that market is also least happy to fund offsetting. Clearly one size does not fit all, and a green future for travel requires some important understanding of conflicting attitudes across markets.”
The TNS Travel & Tourism study included 6,000 people in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and North America, and was conducted in October 2007.
Go to TNS.
