Skift Take
Nearly one-third of the U.S. population identifies as sustainable travelers, but many of them are skeptical of brands' sustainability campaigns and iniatives. Proof and transparency are key for brands to get right if they want these big spenders and frequent travelers to buy into their flights, hotels or cruise lines.
Some 105.3 million U.S. leisure travelers, or 60 percent of all leisure travelers in the U.S., say that they are "sustainable travelers" — those concerned with how their travel impacts everything from a destination's local economy to the environment.
That's according to a new study from Mandala Research, a firm that studies unfamiliar or controversial data and trends in the travel industry. The study also found that, ironically, 64 percent of its survey respondents were unsure of what sustainability means when unaided by any definitions.
This has long been a challenge in the travel industry.
Mandala surveyed nearly 2,300 U.S. adults online between January 26 and February 3, 2016. Respondents took at least one trip during the past 12 months that was 50 or more miles from home with at least a one-night stay. About 60 percent of respondents were sustainable travelers and the rest were general leisure travelers.
Several travel brands tout their sustainability achievements and spend a lot of money in this area. But not all travelers are buying into it; Mandala found 68 percent of U.S. travelers are skeptical of these claims while 21 percent fully believe brands (see Chart 3 below).
The study showed sustainable travelers are between 38 and 57 percent more likely to book travel with brands based on their s
