According to research results and opinions from CEOs in the service sector, tourists around the world support green travel. But they do not want to pay extra, if they choose to.
In Germany, considered the “economic powerhouse of the EU”, 24% of respondents believe that sustainability in tourism is an important criterion. Only 5-10% are willing to pay a surcharge to protect the environment.
After the pandemic, many travelers prefer trips to nature rather than to noisy, crowded places. Photo: Banyan Tree
Charuta Fadnis, head of research at a German travel research firm, said the problem is that people don’t necessarily think they have to pay a premium for sustainability, prompting the global travel industry to ask how to develop green tourism in the face of low profit margins and a still-unclear recovery.
Thomas Fowler, director of sustainability at budget airline Ryanair, confirms that few people are willing to pay a few extra euros to participate in its “Carbon Offsetting” program. Carbon offsetting involves offsetting emissions by funding environmental projects that reduce greenhouse gases. So many airlines have joined the program. “Less than 3% of our customers have responded,” says Fowler.
German airline Lufthansa began offering “green fares” (more expensive than regular tickets) on some flights in February, a move to support the company’s use of sustainable aviation fuel and investment in climate protection projects. However, only 2% of passengers opted to buy them.
Fadnis points out that younger generations are more concerned about sustainability commitments than older generations. Most customers over 55 “don’t want to pay more,” even if the price is only slightly higher than for conventional products.
But if customers are not willing to spend money to protect the environment, Fadnis says business owners "should be more creative." For example, hotels should use reusable items instead of disposable ones, and encourage tourists to rent cars using hybrid technology (environmentally friendly).
