Green travel research reports growth in green consumers

Green travel – A quiet revolution

It felt almost as if I could step out of my green closet when I read a recent report, which said  "Whereas not so long ago the issue of 'going green' was one of exhortation and persuasion, now it is more a matter of shade, degree, and implementation…Brands and companies are finding that eco-consciousness has progressed from a fringe notion to a business mandate”.

This followed on the back of my green face turning red with rage at a travel industry conference, last week, where a leading mass tour operator described people interested in green and ecotravel as mere ‘enthusiasts’. As if we were dabbling in some sort of niche hobby. Like most people not only working in this sector, but also just travelling with these principles, I have seen this sector move slowly from niche to norm over the last five years, and so am delighted to see the results of this new survey (let’s hope the first of many) which back up what many of us have been witnessing for years, with stats.

The research in question was undertaken by global communications agency Euro RSCG Worldwide, where 2357 people were interviewed in UK, France and USA, showed that 66% consider themselves "Citizens of the World," who have “a more globally minded attitude and approach to travel”. This consumer organisation, which published its results in Know magazine’s "The Future of Travel: New Vocabulary of Travel and Tourism.", refers to this growing wave of travellers as people who are quietly revolutionizing the way to holiday, adding “this influential group is ahead of the curve in adopting a more mindful approach to consumption that incorporates concern for the environment, local communities, and the global citizenry”.

We are no longer just ‘greenies’ either, apparently. The report refers to us as ‘Prosumers’, which already beats ‘enthusiasts’ in my book, although neither word would look great on a t-shirt, that’s for sure. Prosumers are, according to the report, changing the way they travel and going out of their way to find businesses that meet their needs, and which:

• Accept and embrace "green" as the standard way of doing business
• Offer products and services that satisfy Prosumers' desire to live more mindfully
• Master social media in order to engage Prosumers before, during, and after each travel experience
• Embrace the new models of luxury and customer service Euro RSCG has identified

Whether it’s from niche to norm, or enthusiasm to enactment, travel is quietly changing for the better.

For details on the research see Euro RSCG Worldwide