Brits willing to pay more for environmental holidays

A survey conducted by travel association ABTA has found that an increasing number of people are willing to pay extra for a holiday with a company that has a good environmental record.

ABTA’s 2011 Consumer Trends Survey found that 19% of people said they would pay more to go on holiday with an environmentally and socially ethical company, compared with 17% last year.

The Travelife Sustainable System has been set up by ABTA to rate hotels and holiday accommodation in terms of their environmental and social practices. The research also found that one in three holidaymakers would like to see holidays given this kind of rating scheme.

After a full, independent audit, accommodation providers are able to achieve a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award, so customers can find out how responsible they are.
So far 17,000 properties have signed up to the rating system, with 1500 of those undertaking an independent audit, and over 500 achieving a Bronze, Silver, or Gold award.
“These findings back up research from the same survey that more and more people are expecting holiday companies to be both socially and environmentally responsible,” said Sören Stöber, Travelife's Business Manager.
“Schemes such as Travelife can now meet the steadily growing demand for sustainably rated holidays. Travelife logos are now being displayed by mainstream travel companies and this is helping consumers to make more informed choices about their holidays.”
Travelife is supported by some of the biggest tour operators in the world, and you can find the Travelife rating in their brochures and websites, as well as in accommodation suppliers’ own marketing material.
These findings come as it was revealed last month that British holidaymakers are the biggest spenders when it comes to Mediterranean holidays. Data released by Visa Europe showed that British spending accounted for 16.7% of the total spend across six Mediterranean countries. Luckily, there are some ways of saving money abroad, such as using travel money cards.


source: http://www.compareprepaid.co.uk/cards/travel-money-cards/11/2011/brits-willing-to-pay-more-for-environmental-holidays/