86% OF BRITS VALUE SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL AS IMPORTANT

The Spanish Tourism Office (UK) surveyed 1,800 UK adults who have been to Spain in the last 5 years on sustainable travel. The Opinium survey took place from the 2^nd – 8^th November 2022 with two major objectives. Firstly, to better understand the attitude of holidaymakers in the United Kingdom sustainable travel. Secondly, to better understand Spain’s position in the mind of British travellers when considering sustainable travel. The survey found that 86% of adult Brits value sustainability as either important or very important when selecting a holiday destination.

Other sustainability findings include:

• Younger travellers were more likely than their older peers to consider the sustainability of their travel important. 18–24-year-olds are the most sustainably conscious of all respondents when considering the selection of their holiday destination (94%), travel relating to the holiday (94%), and places to go on holiday (94%). In comparison, just three quarters (75%) of those aged 65+ considered sustainability when selecting a destination for a holiday (75%), travel related to the holiday (71%), and places to go during the trip (77%).
• Scotland UK region which values sustainable destinations the most. 90% of respondents in Scotland said sustainability was important or very important when selecting a destination to go on holiday.
• Bristol is the city which values sustainable forms of transport the most (89%).
• Sustainable activities important to hikers and surfers the most, whereas those who relax on the beach the least. 86% of those who prefer to relax on the beach care about selecting sustainable activities during their holiday. Those who prefer active outdoor activities such as hiking (93%) and watersports (92%) value sustainability the most.

Spain findings include:

• Brits feel it is easier to holiday sustainably in Spain in comparison to its European neighbors. 66% of respondents said it’s easy to have a sustainable holiday in Spain, compared to France (65%), Germany (59%) and Italy (57%).
• Despite this, just one in eight (12%) of respondents could provide an example of the measures Spain as a travel destination has taken to become more sustainable. Over a third (34%) were unsure, and over half (54%) were not aware of any sustainable measures enacted by Spain.
• Almost three quarters (73%) of those aged 18-34 think it is easy to holiday sustainably in Spain.  24% of the age bracket said it was very easy to holiday in Spain sustainably, with 49% saying it was quite easy. Comparatively, less than half (49%) of respondents over 65 thought it was easy to holiday sustainably in Spain.