Hot air balloon tourism in Türkiye reaches record high
Türkiye’s skies were more crowded than ever in 2024, as hot air balloon tourism soared to a historic high with a record-breaking 933,195 tourists taking flight across seven scenic regions.
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) unveiled the “critical” gap between travellers’ desire for sustainable options and their actual behaviour.
Launched today at FITUR 2025, Madrid, the WTTC report explored that cost and quality remain the dominant priorities for travellers, outweighing sustainability considerations. Across all consumer segments, more than 50% say cost is the most important factor influencing purchasing decisions, while around 30% prioritise quality.
Sustainability is a primary factor for only a small minority, ranging from 11% to 7%, even among the most environmentally conscious groups, according to the survey of more than 10,000 respondents.
“Travellers care about sustainability but when buying travel, cost and quality are king. Customers expect businesses to create affordable sustainable options. But many WTTC companies inspire change – whether that is regrowing coral reefs or reducing food waste. Customers engage with brands that have strong values,”- said Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO
A lack of visibility also remains a significant barrier to drive real change and the WTTC experts recommend highlighting the economic and personal benefits of sustainable travel, ensuring eco-friendly options are simple and convenient for consumers to motivate action at all levels.
“Tailored marketing that speaks directly to the values and needs of individual consumers has been shown to significantly increase engagement across different segments. Designing out unsustainable options to make sustainability the default choice can facilitate the decision-making process and improve the overall experience,” the experts said.
The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
China has rolled out the world’s first 10-gigabit (10G) fixed broadband network in Xiong'an New Area, promising ultra-fast speeds and low latency through cutting-edge optical infrastructure.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope and a transformative figure in the Roman Catholic Church, has passed away at the age of 88, the Vatican confirmed in a video statement on Monday.
Nine people are dead and 42 injured after Russian kamikaze drones slammed into the city of Marhanets in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk Oblast early on 23 April, local officials said.
Ukraine is ready to negotiate but not to surrender, Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Wednesday as details emerged in media reports of a U.S. proposal for a deal which would see Ukraine give up almost all territory currently occupied by Russia.
The chief architect of China's lunar exploration programme has accused Washington of interfering in Beijing's space diplomacy efforts with international partners.
On April 23, a ceremony for the signing of documents between Azerbaijan and China was held in Beijing, with the participation of Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China.
Beijing has criticized Washington's pressure tactics, warning that threats and coercion are not conducive to resolving trade tensions between the two countries.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment