WTTC and Trip.com Group Global Travel Report reveals growing interest in sustainable travel

“Demand for travel is higher than ever,” says Julia Simpson, WTTC president and CEO.

A major new report from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and Trip.com Group, in collaboration with Deloitte, reveals a growing consumer interest in sustainable tourism, with 69% of travellers actively seeking sustainable travel options.

In this follow-up report, the WTTC has again partnered with Trip.com Group, the world’s leading travel services provider, and its major consumer brands Trip.com, Ctrip and Skyscanner, with additional data provided by Deloitte, to analyse the trends that have shaped the travel and tourism industry in the past year and will continue to do so in 2023.

The report, entitled ‘A world in motion: shifting consumer travel trends in 2022 and beyond‘, shows that sustainability is a key part of the travel agenda, with travellers keen to reduce their carbon footprint and support sustainable tourism.

According to a survey included in the report, three quarters of travellers plan to travel more sustainably in the future and almost 60% have chosen more sustainable travel options in the last two years. In addition, these travellers said they were already paying to offset their carbon emissions or would consider it if the price was right.

Another survey also found that around three quarters of high-end travellers are willing to pay extra to make their trips more sustainable.

Last year, after more than two years of travel disruption, travellers made it clear that their desire to travel was alive and well, with international arrivals up 109% on 2021.

According to the report, last year consumers were willing to stretch their budgets for their holiday plans, with 86% of travellers planning to spend the same amount or more on international travel as in 2019, with North American tourists leading the list of big spenders.

But 2023 promises to be even more significant in terms of traveller spending trends. Despite concerns about inflation and the global cost of living crisis, 31% of travellers said they intend to spend more on international travel this year than in 2022.

In addition, according to Deloitte’s Global State of the Consumer Tracker, last year more than half (53%) of global consumers surveyed during the summer said they planned to stay in a hotel in the next three months.

Julia Simpson, president and CEO of the WTTC, said: “Demand for travel is now stronger than ever and our report shows that this year will see a significant rebound. The year 2023 is expected to be a very strong year for the travel and tourism industry.Sustainability is at the top of travellers’ priorities, and consumers are emphasising the value they place on protecting nature and responsible travel.”

Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, said, “Travel and tourism is a powerful driver of the global economy, creating jobs, driving economic growth and lifting communities out of poverty. The Asia-Pacific region, with its growing middle class and dynamic economies, is well placed to capitalise on the industry’s growth and take its place as a leader in the global tourism economy. I am optimistic that the positive momentum of the recovery and global travel growth in 2023, driven primarily by consumers in mainland China, will help accelerate recovery and development around the world.”

For his part, Scott Rosenberger, global head of Deloitte Global’s transportation, hospitality and services sector added: “The travel industry is rebounding from the pandemic while innovating and responding to demands for more modern alternative travel types, sustainable travel, luxury travel, and more. Even the increased financial concerns of inflation are not slowing the pace; travel is becoming a higher priority and flexible or remote working arrangements are creating new opportunities. We are actively engaging with our clients to embrace these new trends and create memorable experiences for consumers.”

Source: WTTC