Study: Climate crisis driving almost half of UK tourists towards greener travel

A deluge of bleak climate-related news and growing coverage of the problem of over-tourism has prompted more UK tourists to factor sustainable and environmentally friendly travel into future holiday plans, new research has found.

According to Travel Counsellors’ August 2024 Travel Tracker, 45 per cent of holidaymakers quizzed said recent coverage of the climate crisis has made them consider more sustainable travel options, rising to 55 per cent among those aged 16-24 and almost two thirds among those aged 25-34.

The Manchester-based platform for travel entrepreneurs also found 37 per cent of respondents said they already aim to book less popular getaways to avoid contributing to over tourism, rising to 53 per cent of 25-34-year-olds compared to 28 per cent of those aged over 55. Moreover, 64 per cent of respondents said they would consider travelling outside of peak seasons to help limit over tourism, rising to 72 per cent of those aged between 25-34.

However, the survey also revealed that only a minority of travellers were deliberately opting for holiday destinations and forms of transport that can curb their carbon emissions. Just over one-in-10 respondents said they would prioritise their carbon footprint when selecting their next destination. 

Overall, the research claimed that the majority of UK holidaymakers want travel companies to offer more sustainable options, rising to two thirds of 25-34-year-olds. Of these, two fifths of those surveyed said they would be willing to pay more for a sustainable holiday, increasing to 55 per cent of those aged 25-34.

Interestingly, however, while 49 per cent of those earning between £55,001 and £65,000 per year were open to forking out for more sustainable travel options, just 38 per cent of higher earners with salaries of between £65,001 and £75,000 followed suit.

Travel Counsellors’ CEO, Steve Byrne, said sustainable travel continues to remain a “top priority” for many travellers, even as demand for holidays continues to grow.

“We’re delighted to see holidays once again topping the list of household spending priorities,” he said. “This year, over half of respondents plan to spend the same amount of money on holidays in the next 12 months, a significant increase from 45 per cent last year.

“Recent news about climate change has pushed 45 per cent of respondents to consider greener travel options, and 64 per cent are willing to travel during ‘shoulder seasons’ to combat over tourism. This jumps to 72 per cent for those aged between 25-34. And, over half demand more sustainable options from travel companies.”

The study also ranked the most important responsible actions tourists seek to take to combat unsustainable travel and over-tourism, with supporting the local economy by eating in local restaurants coming out on top.

“It is clear from our data that sustainable travel continues to remain a top priority for travellers,” said Byrne. “Travel advisers play a crucial role in meeting these demands by recommending ways to avoid peak tourism periods and offering affordable, sustainable experiences.”

The release of Travel Counsellors’ August 2024 Travel Tracker comes barely a month after the number and size of “Cruisezilla” cruise ships was revealed to have surged since the turn of the century, sending their carbon emissions spiralling “out of control”, according to think tank Transport & Environment. 

Meanwhile, a perfect storm of post-pandemic “revenge tourism” and cheap flights combined with rising rents and cost-of-living pressures have caused increased friction between locals and tourists in some of Europe’s most popular destinations and prompted a number of new policy interventions.

Notably, the Greek islands of Santorini and Mykonos recently announced €20 tourist taxes, anti-tourist demonstrations have taken place in Barcelona and Palma in Mallorca, while Croatian hotspot Dubrovnik now only allows two ships to dock per day. Authorities in Venice have also considered doubling the city’s tourist tax next year.

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