Trip.com Group, a leading global travel service provider, reveals that while sustainability awareness is rising among travellers, there remains a gap between awareness and action. This is one of the key insights from the Sustainable Travel Consumer Report 2024 that the Group released recently.
The report draws from 9,867 survey samples from 109 countries and territories, including the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North America (NORAM) and Latin America (LATAM). It also looks at Gen Z’s travel preferences and regional variations in motivations and perceptions.
The gap between awareness and action
An overwhelming 92% of travellers may consider sustainable travel, yet only 56.9% say they have practised it. Of those who did not consider this option, some cited confusion around what sustainable travel entails. Others doubt the authenticity of sustainable products or initiatives. This highlights the need for better consumer education and more straightforward communication from travel providers.
A series of other factors also contribute to the gap between awareness and action. Primary barriers include the perception of sustainable travel as a collective endeavour or the view that it does not bring added benefits to trips.
These considerations diminish travellers’ appetite for usually more expensive sustainable options. The report reveals a divide when it comes to paying extra for sustainable travel options. While some travellers are open to paying a premium, many have clear limits on how much more they are willing to spend. Findings show that 38.8% of travellers are unwilling to pay more, while 42.5% are open to paying a premium, but only within certain limits. For example:
- One in five travellers (21%) are willing to pay up to 5% more for sustainable travel.
- Willingness drops as costs rise: only 4.7% will pay 10-20% more, and 1.7% will exceed 20%.
The report also underscores contrasting attitudes toward cost including APAC travellers are generally more likely to pay a premium for sustainable travel. About a third of them (32.3%) opt out of paying any additional cost at all.
Price sensitivity is noticeably higher among travellers in NORAM, EMEA, and LATAM, where 53.0%, 49.4%, and 47.3%, respectively, are unwilling to pay extra for sustainable options.
Demand for sustainable travel information
Travellers may not always practise sustainable travel. But an increasing number of them now seek sustainable options when booking trips online. Over half of those surveyed (54.7%) now routinely look for these options. This is in line with the report’s findings about their expectations for online travel agents (OTA). Further findings include:
- Three in four (75.83%) travellers anticipate clearly labelled sustainable options when booking from OTAs while more than half (53.07%) prefer to see sustainable travel tips online.
According to the report, a significant 72.4% of travellers are attracted to OTAs and providers that highlight sustainable travel offerings. These choices act as a feel-good factor, as people express increased interest or positive sentiments when informed about them.
Four out of five travellers from APAC and LATAM expect OTAs to clearly label sustainable options, coming in at 80% and 83.6%, respectively. This reflects a growing demand for transparency and more sustainable choices. Access to sustainability-related information has steadily become a basic consumer right in the eyes of travellers.
Diverse motivations for sustainable travel
While sustainable travel is gaining momentum worldwide, the report shows that priorities differ across regions, with travellers focusing on distinct motivations depending on their location:
- Globally, environmental and cultural concerns lead the way, with 47.3% of travellers prioritising environmental protection.
- APAC and LATAM travellers are driven primarily by environmental factors.
- EMEA and NORAM travellers adopt a broader perspective, considering wildlife protection, cultural heritage, and economic impact.
- As sustainability awareness grows, environmental concerns are no longer the sole driver of sustainable travel. Travellers are now motivated by a broader range of factors, signalling a shift toward viewing sustainability more holistically.
Opinions differ on who should lead efforts to reduce tourism’s carbon footprint. APAC travellers see it more as an individual responsibility than a shared commitment. In contrast, their counterparts in EMEA, LATAM, and NORAM place a bigger emphasis on collective action from governments, communities, and the travel industry.
Engaging Gen Z in shared responsibility
The travel industry can strategically engage Gen Z travellers by understanding and addressing their views on sustainable travel.
Despite greater exposure to sustainability-related information, Gen Z is just as hesitant as other age groups to pay extra for sustainable options. Gen Z exhibits several distinct characteristics:
- Three in four (73.0%) Gen Zs consider buying from OTAs with sustainable offerings
- More than half (53.6%) say the environment is a key motivator for travelling sustainably
- 48.3% are unsure of what qualifies as a sustainable trip
- 31.5% fail to see any added benefit from sustainable travel
- These insights indicate that a stronger understanding or motivation is needed to get Gen Z onboard in the quest to advance sustainable travel.
To align themselves with this goal, OTAs can guide this generation with clear labelling and incentives for sustainable choices. By closing the gap between awareness and action, they support travellers in making sustainable decisions.
Trip.com Group’s commitment to advancing sustainable travel
As sustainable travel awareness grows, OTAs have a key opportunity to bridge the gap between awareness and action. For its part, Trip.com Group continues promoting sustainability within the travel industry. The Group has introduced a range of ‘lower-carbon travel products’ and partnered with organisations like GSTC, Travalyst and WWF to advocate for sustainable tourism.
Trip.com Group is committed to reducing its environmental impact across its operations and supporting the global fight against climate change. It joined the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) and aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Additionally, the Group also aims to introduce over 10,000 lower-carbon travel products, targeting 100 million travellers to consider adopting lower-carbon travel practices.
“As we enjoy the planet’s natural wonders, it is our duty and responsibility to protect and preserve these treasures for future generations. We are encouraged by the growing awareness of sustainable travel, and will continue to collaborate with, and empower, our stakeholders in building a sustainable future,” said Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun.
