Sustainable tourism is priority for only small minority

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.

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