Eco-Aviation Channel

Green travel catches consumers' eyes, not wallets

Eco-Aviation Today, September 2009, p.4

US travelers are more environmentally aware than they were just two years ago but few are willing to pay extra for eco-friendly travel, according to the July "travelhorizons," a quarterly consumer survey co-authored by the US Travel Assn. and Ypartnership, an advertising and public relations agency.

"Although consumers are reluctant to pay more to support green travel, they are definitely paying attention to those who are green, even in this down economy," states Ypartnership CEO Peter Yesawich. He advises that "travel service suppliers should continue to adopt green practices that have a minimum impact on consumers' wallets."

According to the survey, the percentage of US travelers who consider themselves environmentally conscious has not changed since 2007 at 78%. But in a positive sign, there has been a significant increase in familiarity with the term "carbon footprint" from 12% to 54% over two years. Yet only 9% are willing to pay more for green travel options and only 3% have purchased carbon offsets.

USTA, with American Express, has created a new website, www.travelgreen.org, for information on sustainable travel.

Get Copyright Permissions Click here for copyright permissions!
Copyright 2010 Penton Media