A WTM Global Travel Report highlighted how extreme weather is forcing travellers to rethink destinations.
Travellers are concerned about extreme weather
According to the report released on 6 November at the World Travel Market in London, travellers are actively starting to avoid destinations exposed to extreme weather. The report, in association with Tourism Economics, found that 29% of travellers from key global markets have avoided visiting a destination in the past 12 months due to concerns about inclement or extreme weather. Extreme weather – such as wildfires, flooding and unusually high temperatures – is widely accepted to be a direct result of man-made climate change. Evidence is emerging that extreme weather events will increase as the climate continues to warm, and Gen Z travellers, aged between 18 and 34, are more likely than the average to avoid destinations exposed to extreme weather. More than two in five (43%) have admitted to reconsidering where to go based on the weather.
More sustainable options are needed
Tourism economics data in the report shows that only a slight majority (53%) of travellers say that they attempt to minimize their carbon footprint when travelling. At the same time, nearly two in three (65%) acknowledge that travel has a negative impact on the environment. This disconnect can be closed by travel sellers helping travellers to make climate-friendly and sustainable choices. Booking.com 2023 figures showed that 74% of travellers want more sustainable options made available, and that 65% would feel better staying in accommodation with sustainable certification. However, sellers and suppliers with a strong sustainability story to tell are being held back by concerns over “green washing.” Skift research cited in the report shows that 75% of travellers are skeptical about travel company’s sustainable practices.
Overtourism is high on the agenda for many cities
Overtourism and the impact on local communities and resources is an important part of the sustainability conversation. In Europe, cities such as Barcelona, Amsterdam and Venice have been trying to address this but, according to Tourism Economics data, there has been little change. Using 2019 as a base level, visitor nights per capita, or the “travel density” for these three cities, has increased, albeit marginally, over the past five years. Juliette Losardo, exhibition director, World Travel Market, said: “Travel is perhaps the industry most exposed to the climate emergency and the wider concerns around sustainability. Our role at WTM is to inform and educate, and there is a lot in the latest WTM Global Travel report which sellers and suppliers can take away, and inform their own decision-making process when it comes to the climate and sustainability.”
