Sustainable travel is not a new trend, but it is becoming increasingly important to consumers. Thus, this year we are also going to see more and more people opting for sustainable vacations. There are several parts of a trip where consumers are looking at a piece of sustainability: transportation, accommodation and activities during the trip. In this blog, we explain these points.
Sustainable means of transportation
A sustainable journey starts with a sustainable means of transportation. Increasingly, we leave the plane behind and opt for a vacation by car, for example. People then choose to travel in their own country or within Europe. Traveling by electric car is also becoming easier. In countries, such as France, where it used to be difficult to find charging stations, we now see more and more of them. We are therefore getting further and further with the electric car.
The train is also becoming increasingly popular as a means of transportation. For example, it is already easier than ever to travel to major European cities by train. The better these connections and ticket prices become, the more likely consumers are to choose the train. We can see this in the large increase in searches for train travel over the past year.
Sustainable accommodations
Staying in the sustainable accommodation is part of a sustainable vacation. Here we see more and more types of accommodations being developed that promote sustainability. Think about the materials used, but also the degree of insulation that reduces the need to use energy to keep the room cool or warm.
Staying in the middle of nature is also part of choosing sustainable accommodation. Here you can think of a (nature) campsite, but also glamping accommodations such as tree houses, safari tents and converted buses.
Positive impact on local people and nature
Part of sustainable travel is paying attention to the impact you as a traveler make on local people and nature. In keeping with the trend that consumers like adventure and going off the beaten path this year, here we see more and more the choice of local restaurants and hotels run by local entrepreneurs. The larger chains are increasingly being ignored by consumers.
Respect for nature and animals is also important. Thus, travelers are increasingly aware of the impact on nature of, for example, swimming with dolphins or tours through nature reserves. The choice is then increasingly made for organizations that can demonstrate that they offer these excursions with all respect for nature.
The information from this blog is based on surveys done by Skyscanner, Booking and the VakantieDiscounter. And on the popularity of search terms from other major tour operators such as TUI, Sunweb and ANWB.
