UK ‘less engaged in sustainability than other markets’, panel hears

Having sustainability front of mind while booking holidays “is not part of the cultural DNA” of UK travellers, according to Sani/Ikos Group’s regional sales and marketing director Lee Barker.

Speaking at Aspire’s Leaders of Luxury event on June 12, Barker said other markets such as Scandinavia were more likely to “buy based on whether something is sustainable” compared with the UK.

Julie Higgins, sustainability officer and director of hotel operations at Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, said affluent travellers do not often seek out travel providers because of their sustainability approaches, but expect companies to be environmentally responsible.

She said: “The general ethos of luxury travel is aiming to do everything on behalf of our guests, to make things as easy as possible so that they just come on board the ship and everything is exactly as it should be – including environmentally.”

Barker highlighted that younger generations are being taught more about sustainability at school, so are more likely to actively “ask more” of travel providers in terms of their environmental impact.

He said: “This [sustainability] is going to be the future for us. Our hotels aren’t here just for today – they’re going to be here in 30, 40, 50, 60 years’ time. The new, younger consumer is going to demand more.”

He added that he was already seeing this in action, with nature-based activities at Ikos and Sani, such as eco walks, dolphin conservation and insect experiences, getting “more and more engagement” year on year, especially among children. 

Wilderness Group’s head of hospitality and development Simon Collier said that if travel companies are going to seriously address sustainability issues in their businesses, it needs to become an integral facet of their operations.

He said: “Sustainability has to be ingrained in your business, not just in one office down the corridor. It really needs to be something that’s pushed from a senior level down [into] the business, and not just in response to the guest preferences.”

The panel agreed that the same principle applies to agents doing their due diligence when selecting which providers to engage with. 

Keith Sproule, Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy’s executive director, said: “Find out if the companies you’re thinking about working with really are committed. Does their sustainability programme have integrity, or does it look like they’re just writing a check? 

“Think about the depth of work that they’re doing and opt for those serious companies, because your travel choice makes a difference.”