WORLDWIDE: The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a report which explores the gap between travellers’ desire for sustainable options and their actual behaviour.
The report Bridging the Say-Do Gap: How to Create an Effective Sustainability Strategy by Knowing Your Customers explores the disconnect between what travellers say about sustainability and the choices they ultimately make and was developed in collaboration with WTTC knowledge partner YouGov.
The study, drawing on a survey of more than 10,000 respondents, categorised travellers into six consumer segments, ranging from the eco-conscious “Hopeful Worriers” to the disengaged “Climate Change Agnostics”.
Each group comes with unique behaviours, priorities, and barriers to selecting sustainable choices.
According to the data, cost and quality are priorities for travellers, outweighing sustainability considerations.
Across all consumer segments, more than 50 per cent of respondents said cost is the most important factor influencing purchasing decisions, while around 30 per cent prioritise quality.
According to the 30 page report sustainability is a primary factor for a small minority, ranging from 11 per cent to 7 per cent, even among the most environmentally conscious “groups”.
A lack of visibility also remains a significant barrier to progress. with more than 10 per cent of respondents reporting no exposure to sustainability messaging or information through any channel, including mainstream media, social platforms, or community-driven initiatives.
The report also offers actionable guidance to Travel & Tourism businesses on how they can address this Say-Do gap with solutions that make sustainable travel both more accessible and more attractive.
- Highlight the economic and personal benefits of sustainable travel, ensuring eco-friendly options are simple and convenient for consumers, and introduce tiered reward programmes to motivate action at all levels;
- Tailor marketing that speak directly to the values and needs of individual consumers to increase engagement across different segments;
- Make sustainability the default choice to facilitate the decision-making process and improve the overall experience;
- Many Travel & Tourism companies are actively adopting sustainable practices and communicating them to consumers, for example, Intrepid Travel prominently labels trip itineraries with carbon impact and offsets emissions automatically. Iberostar leverages AI technology to reduce food waste in its hotels and prioritises underutilised fish stocks. Hilton has equipped more than 1,800 hotels with EV charging points, with nearly a third of its EMEA properties powered entirely by renewable energy;
Research was also carried out by WTTC Member, Trip.com, culminating in The Sustainable Travel Consumer Report 2024. Trip.com’s report supports WTTC findings, noting the importance of cost and making sustainability hassle-free, encouraging consumers towards more sustainable action.
Julia Simpson, WTTC president & CEO, said: “Travellers care about sustainability but when buying travel, cost and quality are king. Customers expect businesses to create affordable sustainable options. But many WTTC companies inspire change – whether that is regrowing coral reefs or reducing food waste. Customers engage with brands that have strong values.
“I am delighted to collaborate with YouGov for such a crucial piece of work. By closing the say-do gap, we not only protect the planet but ensure more rewarding experiences for customers and a brighter and more resilient future for our planet.”
Photo by Mesut Kaya on Unsplash