WTTC: Sustainable travel trend among travellers on the rise

28-01-23

Sustainability is a key element of the travel agenda with tourists keen to reduce their carbon footprint and support sustainable tourism.

69% of travellers are opting for sustainable tourism where they actively seek out travel options according to the report "A World on the Move: Changing Consumer Travel Trends in 2022 and Beyond" released by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC).

In this tracking report, WTTC joined forces with leading global travel services provider Trip.com Group and its leading consumer brands Trip.com, Ctrip and Skyscanner, with additional data from Deloitte, to analyse the trends that shaped Travel & Tourism last year and will continue to do so through 2023.

Optimism from the World Travel & Tourism Council

The report shows that sustainability is a key element of the travel agenda, with tourists keen to reduce their carbon footprint and support sustainable tourism. According to the report, around three quarters of travellers would be willing to pay more to make their trips more sustainable.

Despite concerns about inflation and the cost of living crisis around the world, 2023 looks even better in terms of traveller spending, with almost a third (31%) of travellers intending to spend more on international travel compared to 2022.

Julia Simpson, president and CEO of WTTC, said: "Demand for travel is now stronger than ever and our report shows that we will see significant growth this year. 2023 is set to be a very strong year for Travel & Tourism. In addition, sustainability is high on travellers' agendas, with consumers highlighting the value they place on protecting nature and travelling responsibly."

"Travel and tourism is a powerful force in driving the global economy, creating jobs, stimulating economic growth and lifting communities out of poverty," said Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group.

Sun said that with a rapidly growing middle class and dynamic economies, the Asia-Pacific region is well positioned to capitalise on the industry's growth and take its place as a leader in the global tourism economy.

"I am optimistic about the positive momentum for global resumption and growth in travel in 2023, driven mainly by mainland Chinese consumers, which will help accelerate recovery and development worldwide," Jane Sun said.

Other findings revealed in the report include:

1. Package holiday sales in 2022 are estimated to increase by 75% compared to the previous year.

2. Last summer, international arrivals to European sun and beach destinations were only 15% below 2019 levels.

3. According to WTTC's recent "Cities Economic Impact Research", in 2022, visits to major cities are expected to experience a 58% year-on-year increase, less than 14% below 2019 levels.

4. Luxury holidays will be especially popular, with luxury hotel sales expected to reach US$92 billion by 2025 (up from US$76 billion in 2019).

5. In the survey, almost 60% of travellers said they were already paying to offset their carbon emissions or were considering it if the price was right.