Home NEWS Study shows three in four European travellers care about sustainability

Study shows three in four European travellers care about sustainability

Dec 3, 2024

New Accor Research Report Highlights Opportunities and Challenges Posed by Ongoing Travel Growth.

Europeans anticipate travelling more frequently and spending more on travel in 2025, according to a new research report from Accor, a global leader in hospitality. However, the industry faces a pressing need to address sustainability challenges arising from this growth and to help travellers turn good intentions into good choices.

The report, based on research carried out amongst 8,000 travellers from seven European countries, reveals that over half (53%) of respondents expect to spend more on travel in 2025 than they did in 2024, compared to just 10% who expect a lower travel budget. Travellers in Poland were once again the most confident about their travel spending power in 2025 compared to this year. 65% expect an increased budget compared to just 8% expecting a decrease, followed by respondents from Germany (62% versus 8%) and Spain (55% versus 12%). 52% of travellers from the Netherlands and the UK also expect to spend more, while only 12% and 10% anticipate reducing their spend, respectively.

Overall, the volume of trips Europeans plan to take in 2025 is also on the rise. 88% of travellers say they expect to take at least one overseas leisure trip next year, alongside a significant uptick in international and domestic business trips.

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Turning sustainability intentions into choices

While the survey shows continued optimism from European travellers, it also highlights the need for the travel industry to channel its growth in a sustainable way. Climate change and sustainable options are important to 73% of travellers – up from 71% in the previous survey – including 25% who say these factors are very important (up from 22%). Travellers in Italy and Germany are the most serious about green travel, with 81% claiming these factors are important, followed by Spain (78%), Poland (77%), France (75%), the Netherlands (67%) and the UK (63%).

Among the changes people say they will make due to climate concerns, one in five (20%) will avoid areas prone to extreme weather conditions. Travellers will also make personal behavioural choices to reduce their negative impacts including taking re-usable bottles (36%), taking shorter showers to conserve water (35%), choosing locally sourced and/or seasonal produce in restaurants (32%), as well as opting for independent businesses in the local destinations (27%).

Overtourism

The vast majority of travellers (90%) state that issues caused by overtourism will have some impact on where or how they choose to travel in 2025. A third (31%) say they will refrain from travelling in peak season to avoid overcrowding. One in four (27%) will avoid destinations that suffer from overtourism and more than one in five (22%) will deliberately choose lesser-known spots for their travels.

Overcoming barriers

With cost again representing the single biggest obstacle to consumers making more positive travel choices, 46% of respondents say that reducing the premium for sustainable options would make them more likely to revise their decisions. Other factors would include having more sustainable options available (36%); greater transparency around the impact of offerings (34%); and being rewarded for choosing more sustainable options (31%).

Respondents also expressed support for possible governmental actions to encourage greener travel choices, including mirroring Germany’s trial with the reduction of rail fares to cut transport emissions (22%); and banning short-haul flights where more sustainable alternatives are available (16%), such as the domestic short-haul flight ban seen in France.

“Our research clearly confirms that travel remains a top priority for Europeans. This continued momentum brings significant opportunities but also challenges. While travellers increasingly show positive intentions, the industry must work harder and faster to convert these into good choices by providing clear, actionable alternatives and transparent information, while reducing the impact of operations and carefully focusing on sustainable growth,” said Patrick Mendes, CEO, Premium, Midscale & Economy, Accor Europe & North Africa.

Other key findings

Continued rise in “workations”

Expectations of international “workation” trips – combining business with leisure – are on the up, from 0.6 per traveller last year to an expectation of 0.87 for 2025. Remarkably, one in four Europeans (25%) now expects to take at least one combined work and play trip abroad in 2025, up from 19% in the previous survey. Domestic workation expectations are also well up, from an average of 0.6 to 0.91 per individual.

Making budgets go further

While prioritising travel, cost of living pressures still impact travel plans, however, with 88% of respondents taking at least one measure to reduce expenses as a result of a higher cost of living. Cost-saving plans include avoiding peak season trips (30%), selecting lower cost accommodation types (23%) and cheaper destinations (22%); as well as on-holiday behavioural choices such as taking less luggage on flights (13%), having fewer drinks (9%), and skipping starters or desserts at mealtimes (7%).

The return of long-haul?

The report suggests that while the number of travellers planning to travel within Europe is down by six percentage points compared to last year’s survey (80% versus 86%), travellers intend to go to every other part of the world in greater numbers. This includes Asia (22% versus 16%); North and Central America (20% versus 16%); Africa (13% versus 10%); South America (12% versus 8%); and Australia and New Zealand (8% versus 5%).