Why sustainable holidays are the next big thing
Every summer, we look forward to a quick trip away with our loved ones. Whether we’re holidaying across the UK or taking a trip abroad, the idea came out of Ancient Rome. However, did you know that a lot of wealthy Romans took holidays that lasted two years?
The Office for National Statistics reported that in 2017 there were 72.8 million visits overseas by UK residents, showing a 3% increase on the previous year. This figure is only set to increase even further after a survey of 25,000 British travelers found that 11% of respondents would like to travel more in the future.
With more brands in the hospitality sector realizing the potential alternative holidays have, we need to develop a greater understanding of the thought it in its entirety. But what does that actually mean for holidaymakers, local communities and businesses across the globe?
Deciding to go green for your next holiday
More people seem to be looking for greener holidays, as search volume around phrases like ‘eco-friendly hotels’ has increased in recent months. Along with veganism, flexitarianism and other lifestyle choices, these types of holidays have captured the public’s attention and will likely become the norm for future generations who will be more environmentally conscious.
More and more travelers want to book trips that aren’t damaging, which 87% of people stating so. With such high figures, it’s clear that this is a market more businesses in the hospitality and travel market should be tapping into. You could argue that sustainable travel is subject to a person’s environmental standpoint, and while this is true, the same report also revealed that 46% of people believe sustainable travel is staying in an eco-friendly or green accommodation.
Why are more people choosing these accommodation types? Well, 40% said that they wanted to reduce their environmental impact. On the other hand, 34% said this was to have a locally relevant experience and a further 33% said they wanted to feel good about where they rested.
60% said that this idea sparked from taking in the natural sights from their previous trips – such as coral and rain forests. Also, 54% said that they had noticed the visible impact tourism had on places that they themselves had visited, while 47% went on to say that their decision was after seeing the positive impact sustainable tourism had on local communities. Furthermore, 32% said they felt guilty about how their holidays impact the environment.
Are sustainable holidays affordable? As these trips tend to require fine planning and research, they could potentially be more costly than your average trip to Spain. However, 67% of travellers in the report said that they were prepared to spend up to 5% more on their travel to ensure it had a low impact on the environment.
Are people finding it difficult to find these holidays though? Figures from the same survey found that four in 10 people say that booking sites should offer an eco-friendly filter. Although this doesn’t seem like a step a lot of travel sites are taking, some have began adding pages to represent these trips and advertise them publicly. As well as this, 32% of people call for an international standard that can identify eco-friendly accommodation.
Hopefully, 2019 will be the year where we see more sustainable trips!
You’re not the only one…
The Meet the People Tours allow people to embark on a fair trade holiday adventure. From this, holidaymakers can integrate themselves into the communities who are behind the products they frequently buy!
You’ll visit some of the countries that produce fair trade tea, coffee, chocolate and more — offering an experience like never before. Just like the fair trade products we buy, these trips are organised so that the people living and working in these communities are better off as a result.
You’ll truly enjoy a holiday of this type if you want to travel more sustainably. From visiting development projects and having your ideas of developing countries challenged, you’ll truly feel that you’re making a difference from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave.
Sources:
https://www.travelex.co.uk/travelex-hub/travel-inspiration/history-of-the-holiday
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/leisureandtourism/articles/traveltrends/2017
https://yearoutgroup.org/gap-year-statistics/
https://www.meetthepeopletours.co.uk/