WORLDWIDE: Trip.com Group told attendees of World Travel Market this week how sustainability is shaping the future of travel but that not all travellers who are interested in responsible travel are following through.
The global travel company held discussions across several sessions, in London, leading conversations from global and European perspectives, focusing on the strategic evolution of travel, from digital transformation and personalisation to sustainability.
In a session on Cool Tripping, Slow Tourism and the Sophisticated Traveller, Jane McFadzean, senior director of global sustainability, Trip.com highlighted the rising interest in more responsible travel and emphasised the travel industry’s role in turning consumer intent into action.
“Our research shows that 92 per cent of travellers express interest in more sustainable travel, but fewer than 60 per cent have acted on it,” McFadzean said.
“The gap between awareness and action shows why platforms like Trip.com play a role in making responsible choices visible and effortless,” she added.
In January this year we reported on the WTTC’s report which explored 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 explored 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”
According to the data, cost and quality are priorities for travellers, outweighing sustainability considerations. The report also offered 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.
Say-Do gap real barrier to sustainable travel choices says WTTC
Photo by TRIP.com. Second from right, Mr Boon Sian Chai, Managing Director and Vice President of International Markets at Trip.com Group, discusses the Chinese traveller.