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Study: Sustainable offers in tourism are worth a lot to travelers

Study: Sustainable offers in tourism are worth a lot to travelers

Many people like sustainability when traveling. Traveling with a clear conscience is “in”. But what price are tourists willing to pay for it? A study from Austria has the answers.

Protecting the climate thanks to renewable energy, avoiding waste, offering regional cuisine – according to a study, such concepts of sustainability are worth a considerable surcharge to many holidaymakers in Austria. 23 percent of German Austria fans are willing to dig deep into their pockets for this, said the head of tourism research at Austria Tourist Board, Holger Sicking, the German Press Agency. For example, the advocates of sustainability for regional cuisine in the hotel would pay a double room price that is 29 euros higher per night – with a base price of 120 euros, said Sicking. “In this context, regional foods are even more important on the menu than organic foods.”

The representative survey conducted in Germany in February with almost 1,000 participants is particularly resilient because it did not just ask about the often affirmed importance of sustainability, Sicking continued. “For us, it was specifically about the amount of willingness to pay.”

The critical eye of many younger tourists up to the age of 30 when it comes to waste avoidance is also striking. “It’s about plastic waste, but also about the waste of food,” said Sicking. If a hotel credibly conveys that it puts a lot of thought into it and has concepts, then supporters of sustainability are willing to pay 30 euros more per night for a double room. The king’s standard is a 100 percent climate-neutral accommodation facility. In this case, 47 euros more per night in a double room would be possible – in view of the assumed base price of 120 euros, an increase of around 40 percent.

Sustainability, which is not always clearly defined, is “the motto of the hour” in the travel industry, said tourism researcher at the University of Linz, Herta Neiß. Mobility is a key component. “The guests would at least have the option of arriving without their own car or getting around without their own vehicle.” Another important point is the inclusion of the locals in the concepts. “At some point, too many tourists will upset the structure,” says Neiss.

The guests have generally become more critical. This also means that the tourists notice very well whether sustainability is practiced by the companies or is just a PR gimmick. “Sham packages will soon be discovered,” emphasized Neiss.

Last year, Germans were again the most important guest group in Austria with 53 million overnight stays. According to Austrian advertising, every guest spends 163 euros per day in summer and 192 euros in winter.

All surveys signaled that the group of those for whom sustainability is important will grow in the coming years, according to Sicking. However, the extent of the trend is still unclear. Neiss said that the importance of sustainability may decrease for some guests in the short term due to inflation and tighter money.

Sicking considers the results of the study to be transferrable to Bavaria and Switzerland. Here, similar motives played a role in the selection of the target. In the case of a holiday in Turkey, for example, and the much larger proportion of package holidaymakers there, similar results cannot be expected without further ado.

Source: Stern

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