Agoda Sustainable Travel Trends Survey reveals people's top concerns about tourism's impact, and measures to make travel more sustainable

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SINGAPORE, June 3, 2021 /PRNewswire=KYODO JBN/ --

Easy identification of sustainable eco-friendly travel options, limited use of

single-use plastics and financial incentives for accommodation providers who

maximize energy efficiencies are the top three additional measures needed to

make travel more sustainable according to Agoda's Sustainable Travel Trends

Survey. Establishing more protected areas to limit tourist numbers and removal

of single-use bathroom amenities round out the top five global measures.

The findings from the Survey launched today to mark World Environment Day 2021

(5 June) also revealed globally that overtourism, and pollution of beaches and

waterways are the top two concerns of the impact of tourism, with deforestation

and energy inefficiencies (including overconsumption of electricity/water)

ranking joint third.

Governments considered most responsible for making changes to make travel more

sustainable

Globally, the public considers Governments most accountable for making positive

environmental changes around travel, followed by tourism authorities and

individuals themselves. When it came to holding governments most accountable,

those in Indonesia and UK were most likely to do so (36%), Mainland China

followed not too far behind at 33%, with Australia and Malaysia in fourth and

fifth spot (28% and 27% respectively). The markets most likely to cite

themselves or individuals as most responsible for making changes to traveling

sustainably were Thailand (30%), Japan (29%) and the US (28%). Meanwhile,

Mainland China (11%), the UK (13%), and Vietnam (14%) were least likely to

attribute responsibility to the individual.

When asked what they would pledge to do better in a post COVID travel scenario,

the top responses globally were #1 manage their waste including using less

single-use plastics, #2 switch off the air con and lights when leaving their

accommodation, and #3 always look for eco-friendly accommodation.

Interestingly, despite overtourism being the biggest concern, going to

lesser-known destinations only ranked seventh of out of 10 as a pledge to do

better.

No 'one size fits all for' sustainability

The top practices most associated with environmentally friendly or sustainable

travel are #1 renewable energy and resources like solar, wind, hydroelectric

and water, #2 no single-use plastics, joint number #3 animal conservation and

creating a smaller carbon footprint.

Other energy saving solutions such as key cards or motion sensors, using

natural cleaning products are the other key practices. Interestingly, buying

locally sourced products, reusing bedding or towels during holiday stays and

visiting off-the-beaten track destinations are the bottom three practices out

of 10 associated with sustainable travel.

"We can see from the Agoda Sustainable Travel Trends Survey that the messages

of taking simple steps such as switching off lights and air conditioning when

leaving the room or reducing waste by minimizing use of single-use plastics are

being embraced by the public across the globe. What is also clear is that while

globally the message is Governments need to take the lead on managing

sustainable travel, there is recognition that some responsibility lies with

people's own behavior," explains John Brown, CEO Agoda.

"While there are different interpretations of what practices are eco-friendly

or sustainable, most of the public are keen to be able to do their part, by

actively pledging to choose eco-friendly properties or make smarter

environmental choices when traveling. One of the easiest ways to counter

concerns about overtourism is to consider traveling to off the beaten track

destinations. This past year at Agoda, we have seen a shift in travel patterns

as people, limited to domestic travel, explore lesser-known areas. If managed

well, not only does this help support independent hoteliers and accommodation

providers that rely economically on the tourist dollar, it can help lessen the

environmental burden on overcrowded areas.

"As an industry, we need to continue to find ways to help individuals achieve

these goals be it making it easier to search and find sustainable properties on

Agoda or supporting and encouraging more partners to use key cards for power,

use renewable energy sources or offering carbon-offsetting options for travel

products." continued Brown.

COVID negatively impacts attitudes to sustainable travel

The increase in desire to travel more sustainably was most prevalent among

respondents from South Korea, India and Taiwan, 35%, 31% and 31% respectively.

However, looking at the figures globally, while 25% have an increased desire to

travel more sustainably this compares with 35% whose desire to do so decreased.

The markets reporting the biggest proportional decrease were Indonesia (56%),

Thailand (51%) and the Philippines (50%).

"It's concerning that many people see sustainable travel as less important

today than they did before COVID-19, but I hope that is just a short-term

effect, driven by people's thirst to get back out there and travel any way they

can," John Brown concluded.

Japan

--Japanese are most concerned about overtourism first, followed by polluted

beaches and waterways, and deforestation

--Japanese hold themselves accountable (29%) followed by 22% who believe

Governments and 15% tour operators as most responsible to making changes

towards a more sustainable travel

--More Japanese pledge to switch off air conditioners while leaving their room,

manage waste, and re-use amenities in their hotel rooms such as towels and

bedding

--Practices that are considered most helpful by Japanese are the use of

renewable resources, no single-use plastics in accommodations and making a

smaller carbon footprint

--When asked what practices Japanese associate with sustainability, 35% suggest

use of renewable energy and resources, 33% said no single use plastics and 32%

smaller carbon footprint

--The additional measures Japanese public cite will help make travel more

sustainable are easy identification of eco-friendly travel options followed by

limiting single-use plastic in airlines and accommodations and complete removal

of single-use bathroom amenities and toiletries

Diving deep into the data

On additional measures:

--While making it compulsory for travelers to pay a sum for carbon off-setting

is selected by the least as a measure that could be implemented to make travel

more sustainable, respondents in India were most likely to support this

concept, versus Mainland China which is the market least likely to do so,

followed by US and Taiwan markets.

--Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Mainland China and Australia are the markets

most likely to suggest financial incentives for accommodation providers who

maximize energy efficiency

--Japan is the market least likely to recommend more protected areas to limit

tourist numbers followed by South Korea and the US. Meanwhile, the Philippines,

Indonesia and Malaysia markets are most likely to

--UK tops the list as the market most likely to support limiting use of

single-use plastics in airlines or accommodation, closely followed by

Australia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Mainland China, Taiwan, the US and

Japan are least likely to suggest this measure

--Malaysian, Filipinos and Indonesians are most favorable for easy

identification of sustainable or eco-friendly travel options, such as flagging

with an environmental tag on a digital travel platform. While still their

number one measure overall, US and Japan are the bottom two markets for such

identification

--Removal of single-use bathroom amenities is most favored by Taiwan, Japan and

UK

On responsibility for change to make travel more sustainable:

--All generations selected governments as the top response for who is most

responsible except for the Silent Gen (those born before 1946), who has the

largest proportion which consider individuals as most responsible

--Men are marginally more likely to cite governments as most responsible (28%),

followed by tourism authorities (21%) and Themselves (20%). An equal portion of

women hold government and tourism authorities as most responsible (25%),

followed by themselves, (19%).

On Pledges for more sustainable travel

Global Top Ten pledges to travel more sustainably

1.Manage my waste during my travel period (e.g., use less single-use plastics)

2.Switch the air conditioner and lights off when I leave my room

3.Always look for eco-friendly accommodation

4.Try to manage my carbon footprint (e.g., taking most journeys by bus, train

or boat, or paying for a carbon offset)

5.Do my part to reuse hotel amenities such as towels or bedding

6.Shop local/choose independent businesses

7.Going to lesser-known destinations

8.Pick up litter when I visit the beach

9.Requesting for no toiletries in the room as I can bring my own

10.Use reef-friendly products on beach trips

--Philippines, Malaysia and India are most likely of all markets to pledge to

look for eco-friendly accommodation

--Singapore, UK and Australia are the markets most likely to pledge to reuse

hotel amenities such as towels and bedding, compared to Indonesia, Philippines,

Mainland China and Thailand which are the least likely to

--Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia most likely to pledge to go to

lesser-known destinations to travel more sustainably, with Japan, UK and Taiwan

least likely to

--While managing waste including using less single-use plastics is a top three

pledge for all markets, South Korea, Thailand and Philippines are the markets

most likely to pledge this

--Despite pollution of waterways being cited as the number two concern for the

impact of travel, picking up litter off beaches ranks only #8 out of 10 in

pledges to travel more sustainably, with only 18% pledging to do so

--Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Mainland China are top markets

to pledge to pick up litter when visiting the beach. Respondents in Singapore,

Taiwan and Japan are least likely to

--Shopping local is at #6 in the pledges with Australia (35%), UK (31%) and US

(28%) most likely to pledge this, and Japan (5%), Mainland China (9%) and

Taiwan (11%) least likely to

--Higher percentage of women pledge to manage waste (44% versus 40%) and

switched off aircon/lights (44% versus 36%) than men

--Bottom five pledges globally from last - using reef friendly products on

beach trips (14%), requesting no toiletries as can bring my own (17%), picking

up litter when visiting the beach (18%) going to lesser-known destinations

(19%), and shopping local (21%)

--While both women and men's top three pledges are the same, women's top four

is rounded out by a pledge to reuse hotel amenities, versus men who pledge

bigger actions such as trying to manage carbon footprint in their fourth spot

--Singaporeans are more likely to pledge to switch off aircon and lights when

they leave the room and reuse amenities, compared to other markets

--Philippines (49%), Malaysia (43%) and India (42%) are most likely to always

look for eco-friendly accommodation when they travel post COVID-19

--Conversely, public in the UK (14%), Mainland China (17%), US (17%), Japan

(18%) and South Korea (18%) are least likely to look for eco-friendly

accommodation as a pledge

SOURCE  Agoda

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tourism's impact, and measures to make travel more sustainable