People care but don’t act, says Phocuswright research

Friday, November 17, 2023

Madeline List, the senior research analyst of Phocuswright, started off the third day of The Phocuswright Conference by disclosing the outcome from the recent sustainability report of the research authority. The study, which aimed on thousands of tourists from the US and Europe, unveiled a substantial breach between what people say and what actually they do when it comes to sustainability.

Around half of the respondents, in the US and EU, said that they were more likely to select transport on the basis of carbon footprint alternatively to convenience. However, when questioned why they selected particular transport options in their recent travels, very few people cited environmental factors as a cause.

Respondents stated that they were more likely to select a hotel in terms of its credentials related to sustainability than price. However, of those who had booked, only 6-13% have highlighted environmental reasons were among their top five thoughts.

List said people are more likely to shadow through on what they say if they will unswervingly sense the burn from not doing it. For instance, almost half would stay anywhere that’s less popular and less crowded and many would actually follow through on this. With decisions related to environment, people do care, but they do not feel the consequences directly.

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