According to a report by WTTC, Trip.com and Deloitte, the desire for sustainable tourism is growing

A new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group, together with Deloitte, reports that 69% of travellers are looking for sustainable travel options. The study analysed industry trends in 2022 certain to continue to grow in 2023. The study, “A world in motion: shifting consumer travel trends in 2022 and beyond”, shows how sustainability has become an important criterion with respect to which holiday to choose. According to another survey included in the report, around three quarters of high-end travellers said they were willing to pay extra to make their trips more environmentally and nature-friendly. Julia Simpson, President and CEO of WTTC, said: “Sustainability is at the top of the travellers’ agenda and consumers emphasise the value they place on protecting nature and travelling responsibly.”

Increased desire to travel

In 2022, after two years of restrictions, there was a 109% increase in international overnight arrivals compared to the previous year, according to the report. Not only that, consumers expanded their holiday budgets, with 86% of travellers planning to spend the same amount or more on international travel compared to 2019. This trend looks set to continue in 2023, despite concerns over inflation and the worldwide cost of living crisis, with almost a third (31%) of travellers saying they plan to spend more on international travel this year than in 2022. Scott Rosenberger, Global Transportation, Hospitality & Services Sector leader, Deloitte Global: “The travel industry is recovering from the pandemic, innovating and meeting demands for more modern alternative types of travel, sustainable travel, luxury travel, and more”. The sector’s growth will also be driven by Mainland Chinese travellers, who have resumed travel and thus regained their relevant place in the global tourism economy, helping to accelerate the recovery.

Additional data from the report

• Package holiday sales for 2022 are estimated to be up 75 per cent year-on-year.
• Last year, during the summer, international arrivals at European beach destinations were just 15% below 2019 levels.
• Luxury holidays will prove particularly popular, with bookings at luxury hotels expected to reach $92 billion by 2025 (up from $76 billion in 2019).
• In a survey, almost 60% of travellers said they had already paid to offset their carbon footprint or considered doing so if the price was right.