Human activity have caused global temperatures to rise, causing disruption to Earth’s ecosystems and the lives of its inhabitants. The need to rapidly address the problem persists, even as skepticism and pessimism abound. However, people are seeing this disruption firsthand, and want brands to be part of the solution – especially in travel, an industry responsible for 8% of global emissions. That travel will keep growing underscores the need for brands within the sector to do their part in solving the crisis.
Fortunately, many travelers also want to be part of the solution. 56% of travelers fit into one of the consumer segments Mintel characterizes as being interested in sustainable travel, with many more that could be swayed with the right information. In fact, 61% of travelers want more information in how to engage in it. Moreover, they hold travel brands accountable – 60% want to know what brands are doing about sustainability, too, as travelers feel that the industry has more culpability (especially in certain sectors) than they do as individuals.
For their part, travelers are willing to change their behavior, and even say they’d allow prices to increase – but there have to be sustainability-related reasons for it. Because they’re aware of greenwashing they don’t want brands messing around when the stakes are so high.
This report looks at the following areas:
- How Americans view climate change and climate action
- How the market and industry are affecting and reacting to global warming
- A sorting of travelers into segments based on their attitudes toward sustainability
- Travelers’ engagement with sustainable travel information, and where they want it from
- How travelers feel the industry’s and their own actions affect global warming
- The specific ways travelers feel various sectors are responsible for unsustainable practices
- Ways in which travelers want to see travel be made more sustainable
- The financial relationship travelers have with sustainable travel
- Travelers’ views on overtourism and its mitigation
- How brands are trying to become more sustainable, and let consumers know it
Travelers know that they need to be more sustainable, but don’t always know where to start. Brands must inform them while making meaningful steps toward sustainability.
Mike Gallinari, Senior Travel & Leisure Analyst
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Improving economic situation can make sustainability more palatable
- Global temperatures continue to rise
- US tourism is a major greenhouse contributor
- Americans remain skeptical about manmade climate change
- Graph 1: denial of man-made climate change – nets, 2024
- Consumers feel increasingly powerless to help solve the issue
- Graph 2: consumer belief in their behavior being able to make a difference, 2024
- Market drivers
- Increased international travel underscores the need for action
- Destinations’ overtourism solutions are de facto awareness campaigns for tourists
- Operators seek to drive innovation within their sector
- More extreme weather events can lead to more demands for sustainability
- Graph 3: effect of extreme weather events on desire to do sustainable activity, 2024
- Trump’s victory portends a loss for the environment
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Consumer fast facts, continued
- Sustainable traveler segments
- Sustainably-Uncertain Travelers – 30%
- Sustainably-Uncertain demographic profile
- Sustainably-Minded Travelers – 30%
- Sustainably-Minded demographic profile
- Sustainably-Interested Travelers – 26%
- Sustainably-Interested demographic profile
- Sustainably-Disinterested Travelers – 14%
- Sustainably-Disinterested demographic profile
- Sustainably-Minded travelers take a wide variety of vacation types
- Graph 4: types of vacations taken in the last 12 months, by segment, 2024
- Awareness and information
- Weather events serve as reminders of the need to travel sustainably
- Climate change will increase attention to brands’ efforts
- Graph 5: attitudes toward travel brands and sustainability – nets, 2024
- Push Sustainably-Interesteds to sustainable action with more information
- Graph 6: attitudes toward awareness – any agree, by segment, 2024
- Carnival shows consumers the sustainability going on below decks
- Brands that educate about sustainability can be leaders in the market
- Sustainably-Interesteds approach green claims with hefty skepticism
- Graph 7: attitudes toward sustainability info – nets, Sustainably-Interested segment, 2024
- Though lagging, potential big spenders still want to hear about sustainability
- Graph 8: attitudes toward sustainability info – any agree, by HHI, 2024
- The industry’s responsibility
- The industry needs to lead the way in sustainability
- No industry is exempt from culpability
- Graph 9: sources of negative environmental impact of travel, 2024
- Important Sustainably-Interested segment casts a critical eye on travel brands
- Graph 10: negative impacts of the travel industry, by segment, 2024
- Travelers hold each industry to different sustainability standards
- Graph 11: industry culpability for negative impacts, 2024
- Cruise lines are working with overtouristed destinations to avoid lockout
- Inform Sustainably-Uncertains, Sustainably-Interesteds about mitigation efforts while their outlook is still neutral
- Graph 12: industry culpability for negative impacts – unsure, by segment, 2024
- Younger generations express a wider view of climate impacts
- Graph 13: industry culpability for negative impacts – airlines, by generation, 2024
- The luxury sector can pierce the veil of ignorance higher-HHI travelers walk among
- Graph 14: industry culpability for negative impacts – unsure, by HHI, 2024
- Luxury interest in sustainability can mean wider interest in the future
- Sustainability can be used as an access point, rather than barrier, to experiences
- Travelers’ responsibility
- Travelers are aware that they play a part in climate change, as well
- Airlines, cruise lines must make efforts to win over the most sustainably-engaged segments
- Graph 15: personal travel’s impact on the environment, by segment, 2024
- Sustainable information is an increasingly hot commodity
- Graph 16: personal travel’s impact on the environment, by generation, 2024
- IHG’s Green Engage helps bring properties and guests up to speed
- Travel hubs can find largely receptive audiences in their area
- Graph 17: personal travel’s impact on the environment, by region, 2024
- Travelers are willing to engage in diverse methods to feel they’re part of the solution
- Graph 18: ways to reduce one’s environmental impact, 2024
- Volume may suffer if eco-conscious travelers feel they lack options
- Graph 19: ways to reduce one’s environmental impact, by segment, 2024
- Pushing proximity travel can result in greener, more reliable revenue for destinations
- Prioritize young, affluent travelers in sustainability outreach
- Graph 20: ways to reduce one’s environmental impact, by age group and HHI, 2024
- Destinations encouraging sustainable actions by offering discounts and rewards to visitors
- Concerned travelers don’t favor offsets as a solution
- Graph 21: ways to reduce one’s environmental impact, travelers thinking they don’t do enough to be sustainable vs all, 2024
- Financial allowance for sustainability
- Sustainable travel has image issues, but can be reframed
- Graph 22: attitudes toward sustainable vacations – nets, 2024
- There is a cushion for absorbing sustainability costs
- Travelers may be only a little begrudging of sustainability-related price increases
- Graph 23: willingness to pay more for a more sustainable option, 2024
- Despite engagement, Sustainably-Mindeds can balk at barriers
- Graph 24: attitudes toward sustainable vacations, by segment, 2024
- Responsible Travel provides a hub of sustainability information
- Sustainable segments accept green price hikes, but all could see them being the new norm
- Graph 25: willingness to pay more for a more sustainable option, any upcharge, by segment, 2024
- Higher earners are the toughest sell
- Graph 26: willingness to pay more for a more sustainable airline, by HHI, 2024
- Overtourism
- Direct experience underscores the impacts of overtourism
- Graph 27: attitudes toward overtourism, all travelers vs international travelers, 2024
- Popular destinations introduce visitor caps, additional fees to mitigate overtourism
- Sustainably engaged segments are open to a variety of overtourism solutions
- Graph 28: attitudes toward overtourism, by segment, 2024
- Use anti-overtourism strategies as a luxury strategy
- Graph 29: attitudes toward overtourism, by HHI, 2024
- Younger travelers agree overtourism is a problem, but don’t alwasy agree on solutions
- Graph 30: attitudes toward overtourism, by generation, 2024
- Barcelona fights back
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INNOVATION & MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Launch activity and innovation
- Google updates modeling to be an industry leader in sustainable booking info
- Greece positions tourism fee as a climate resilience tax
- Accor strives to instill sustainability in its employees, educate the luxury sector
- Sensible Weather expands coverage to dangerous heat days
- Southwest lays groundwork for its own SAF system
- Marketing and advertising
- Delta connects its efforts with what’s happening around us
- Intrepid finds success in marketing to growing sustainably-aware segment
- A familiar face brings United’s SAF efforts to the forefront
- What if the travel industry advocated not just for leisure, but time?
- Tourist hotspot passes “climate leave” in response to deadly weather events
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APPENDIX
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research questions, continued
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations
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