BUSINESS NEWS Sustainability report: Mintel survey reveals consumers’ attitudes to travel. Ian Taylor reports
Cost remains top issue for Brits booking holidays
The cost of holidays remains the biggest concern for consumers booking travel, the latest Mintel research suggests. Its survey of 2,000 UK adults
in February found four out of five (78%) agreed the cost of a holiday “has the biggest impact” on their plans, unchanged from a year earlier. In addition, three out of five
consumers (60%) rated the quality of
a holiday more important than how sustainable it was – with 16% unsure and just one in four (24%) saying sustainability was more important. However, 62% said “cheaper options for sustainable transport”
would make them more likely to use these and, perhaps surprisingly, 44% agreed they “would be happy” for the cost of carbon offsets to be included in airfares. Also surprising, a third (32%)
of consumers said “environmental concerns mean I avoid flying”, with a further 10% unsure. This tallied precisely with the proportion intending to travel abroad. Mintel found three out of five UK adults (58%) plan to take a holiday overseas in the next three years. The report concluded: “More
travellers will be looking to save money when travelling amid the rising cost of living.”
Most consumers believe travel firms ‘greenwash’
Two out of three UK adults believe travel companies are guilty of ‘greenwashing’, or making exaggerated sustainability claims, according to consumer research. A survey of 2,000 UK consumers
by market research firm Mintel found 66% agree “many travel companies are guilty of greenwashing, presenting themselves as more environmentally friendly than they are”. An additional one in five (21%)
were not sure, with just 13% not believing travel companies make exaggerated claims, leading Mintel to conclude that consumers have become “more sceptical” and are “increasingly aware of greenwashing”. The research, carried out in
February, forms part of a new Mintel report entitled Sustainability in Travel, UK, 2023. Mintel notes the proportion of consumers believing companies are guilty of greenwashing “remains high” across all age groups and its report concludes: “The necessity for transparency with
travelweekly.co.uk
regards to sustainability credentials has never been higher.” The survey found just under half
of consumers (47%) claim “a good understanding” of travel sustainability. However, other findings appear
to contradict this, with respondents divided on what they considered important to sustainability. Half of those who had booked
holidays in the past three years (48%) did not rate protecting the local environment important, 59% did not consider renewable energy important, and 59% did not rate reducing packaging waste, such as plastic bottles, important. Half (52%) rated “protecting
the local environment” a priotity when asked “which of the following do you think most important for travel companies to support”, with 43% selecting “protecting the local community”, and 41% “investing in renewable energy”. But the survey also found 75% of travellers “think sustainable holidays
75% of Brits believe sustainable holidays are ‘more expensive’
are more expensive” than other holidays, leading Mintel to conclude: “It’s essential for travel brands to promote affordable, sustainable travel options amid the rising cost of living.” At the same time, it suggested:
“Consumers are looking to brands to demonstrate how they are mitigating the effects of the climate crisis.” Mintel travel and leisure analyst
Jennie Bryans said: “Consumers must be guided in their choices.” The Sustainability in Travel, UK, 2023 report is available from Mintel.
25 MAY 2023 47
Poll shows demand for indie hotels and restaurants
Mintel’s research suggests a significant proportion of travellers are keen to eat in independent restaurants and stay in independent hotels on holiday. Three out of four (77%) of those
who had travelled in the past three years had eaten in an independent restaurant and half (56%) had stayed in an independent hotel. A third (37%) had joined in a
nature-based activity, and one in four (26%) travelled by train to a destination or booked a tour with a local guide. However, there was a sharp difference in the incidence of these activities by age. Half of 16-24-year-olds (51%)
had taken a nature-based holiday and almost half (46%) of those aged 25-44. Similarly, 31% of 16-24-year-olds and 32% of those aged 25-44 had booked a tour guide, and 30% of 16-24-year-olds had participated in volunteering. Just one in five holidaymakers (18%) said they had stayed in environmentally friendly accommodation, and 12% paid to offset a flight, while half (48%) said they would not consider offsetting. Mintel found “nearly three-fifths
of travellers (59%) more interested in travelling to less well-known destinations than tourist hotspots” and noted: “Agents can be integral in promoting less-known destinations.”
77% of Brits have eaten in an independent restaurant
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
