09 Oct 2023 at 06:03
Less than half (48 percent) of holidaymakers say they take the environment into account when booking a trip. That was still 52 percent last year. Fewer people are also willing to pay extra for sustainable holidays.
The National Bureau for Tourism and Conventions (NBTC) reported this on Monday. The decrease is striking because last summer there was an extreme heat wave and forest fires in Southern Europe. For example, travelers on the Greek island of Rhodes had to leave their destination in a hurry because of the fires.
Yet the environment has not become more important for many holidaymakers, according to research by NBTC in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, the US and the United Kingdom.
Of the six countries surveyed, the Dutch consider climate to be the least important on holiday. Only 39 percent say they take this into account when booking a trip. This percentage is highest among the French: 50 percent. The research also shows that those who had to deal with extreme weather last summer are more environmentally conscious than those who were not affected by it.
Furthermore, it appears that 46 percent of travelers are adjusting their holiday behavior due to the recent high inflation. For example, holidays are booked less often, or people opt for a shorter stay. They also eat out less or opt for cheaper accommodation.
Beeld: Getty Images
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Economy
2023-10-09 04:03:47
#Holidaymakers #environmentally #conscious #heat #waves #forest #fires #Economy
