Making the most of your sustainability activities

Surveying the sustainable tourism landscape

Hard on the Heels of the Trip Advisor survey, that we covered in our last newsletter, comes another survey reinforcing the importance of sustainability in tourists’ decision making.  This survey was carried out with customers of the Travel Counsellors network and the results have been published this month in their annual Travel Tracker.

A growing force in the tourism industry

Travel Counsellors is a dynamic company that equips individuals to create their own travel agency businesses operated from home. The very personal service Travel Counsellors are able to offer has proven hugely popular with people who favour a bespoke, curated, approach to their travel and who want expert guidance and support in building and booking their holidays. The business now has over 2,000 franchisees operating in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates.  As a result, Travel Counsellors can provide real professional insight into the motivations and preferences of a wide range of travellers and tourists.

A growing appetite for proven sustainable tourism options

This year’s Travel Tracker revealed that 56% of respondents want travel companies to offer more sustainable options. This is an increase compared to last year’s survey (54%) but, interestingly, there was an increase to 67% in respondents aged between 25 and 34 indicating that this trend is set to accelerate in the future. Perhaps most pertinently, for Green Tourism Award holders and members working towards certification, 47% said they would feel happier staying in a particular accommodation if it had a sustainable certification or label.   

Putting your Green Tourism award at the heart of your marketing strategy.

This new data reinforces the value of your Green Tourism certification as a marketing tool. The Marketing Playbooks, contained within our freshly-upgraded members-only Knowledge Hub contain high-impact ideas for promoting your Green Tourism or Green Meetings award success, complete with real-life examples of best practice from our members along with template copy and assets to empower your digital marketing efforts.