Travellers Willing to Pay 10% Higher Prices for Sustainable Travel, Report Reveals
The latest report from Euromonitor International has revealed that nearly 80 per cent of travellers are willing to incur an additional cost of at least ten per cent in order for their travel to be less damaging to the environment, even in light of the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
In addition, the Euromonitor Sustainable Travel Index 2023 also states that 41 per cent of travellers are open to paying a premium of over 30 per cent for experiences related to adventure and eco-tourism, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
In the Sustainable Travel Index 2023, Europe dominates, thus occupying the 17 main positions. The first place is occupied by Sweden, closely followed by Finland in second place and Austria in third place. As the report shows, Uruguay, a South American destination, has entered the top 20 for the first time, marking an impressive jump of 15 places compared to last year.
As for the countries that have improved during the last five years, Egypt and the Maldives have shown remarkable improvements. As a result, Egypt’s performance stands out as it has successfully cultivated a resilient tourism sector, bouncing back from travel restrictions and the pandemic.
This recovery has facilitated an increase in average spending per arrival, thus contributing to increased value generation through tourism, ultimately benefiting local communities.
Melbourne has positioned itself at the forefront of sustainability within Euromonitor’s Top City Destinations Index, setting an ambitious goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2040.
Based on the report, this achievement places Melbourne in the lead, followed by Madrid and Seville in Spain. These Spanish cities are part of the Net Zero Cities initiative, a collaborative effort involving a total of 112 European cities committed to achieving net zero emissions.
In terms of demand for sustainable tourism, the authority revealed that Australia, Iceland and New Zealand emerge as the top three destinations. These countries benefit from being long-haul destinations, attracting travellers who tend to stay for long periods.
New Zealand, in particular, stands out through its commitment to regenerative tourism, going beyond mere sustainability and striving to create a positive legacy that will benefit future generations while giving back to the environment.
“Our Sustainable Travel Index uses 56 indicators across seven pillars – Environmental, Social, Economic, Risk, Demand, Transport and Lodgings – determining the comparative performance of sustainable travel and tourism for 99 countries through scores and weightings to produce an overall ranking,” Head of Travel at Euromonitor International Caroline Bremner.
She also emphasised the existence of three primary indicator categories. The first centres on the well-being of a destination, encompassing aspects of happiness, equality, and social justice. According to her, the second category delves into the direct effects of tourism on the local environment, such as the energy consumption of hotels.
