The Sustainable Traveler Is More Mainstream Than Industry Thinks
Skift research across 74,000 travel consumers in 40 markets reveals 77% believe travel should benefit local communities and environment.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Sustainable travelers represent the mainstream market rather than a rare niche.
- 77% of 74,000 surveyed travelers say travel should benefit communities and environment.
- 24% actively seek sustainable options and accept trade-offs to get them.
- Culture Seekers lead public transport use at 57% despite lower responsibility scores.
Travel industry perceptions often picture sustainable travelers as a rare breed of earnest eco-seekers who exclusively book eco-lodges and pay green surcharges. However, recent evidence strongly suggests this is a widespread misconception.
Comprehensive research by Skift involving 74,000 travel consumers across top 40 outbound markets demonstrates that sustainable travel choices have become highly pragmatic and mainstream, backed by concrete data points.
Looking back at a 2021 Skift and EarthCheck study, 62% of travelers across 11 markets actively sought responsible operators, while one-third were ready to pay 10% or more for green certification, led heavily by Saudi and Chinese travelers near 80%. Five years later, current data shows 70% prioritizing committed destinations and businesses.
"77% of 74,000 surveyed travelers say travel should benefit communities and the environment, and 24% actively seek sustainable options and accept trade-offs."
Skift Research
The data also complicates the familiar say-do gap by examining distinct traveler segments, revealing that stated values and actual behaviors diverge in interesting directions across different groups.
This detailed segmentation reveals that destinations must tailor their strategies to specific traveler archetypes rather than applying broad strokes. Addressing gateway congestion requires leaning into low-impact transport archetypes, while fragile assets benefit more from high-spending premium travelers.
For instance, Culture Seekers score below average on feeling responsible at 68% against a 73% average, yet 57% get around by public transport, leading all segments. Conversely, Connoisseurs report 88% responsibility, with 44% willing to pay premium prices, while only 38% utilize public transport.
Together, these two segments account for approximately 169 million outbound leisure trips annually, representing about one in four trips. Operators are advised to match specific archetypes to the unique challenges of each destination.
Source: Skift
Found something wrong in this article? Report an issue with this article
Comments
Leave a Comment