97% Indian travellers eye 'sustainable' tourism in 2018, do not mind paying a premium for it, finds survey

Mumbai: About 97 percent Indian tourists are looking forward to travel ‘sustainably’ during their holidays to have an enriching experience and for this they will not mind doling out extra money, says a report. A sustainable tourism implies that neither the natural environment nor the socio-cultural fabric of tourist destinations is impacted by the arrival of tourists. According to a survey by Netherland-based travel e-commerce company Booking.com, around 97 percent of Indian travellers want to travel sustainably in 2018 with 88 percent of them willing to pay an extra premium to ensure the same. It revealed that while 73 percent of current Indian travellers always or often opt for sustainable travel, around 32 percent are willing to pay at least 15 percent more to ensure as low an impact on the environment as possible. The survey found that Indian travellers are the most willing to pay the premium closely followed by Brazilians and Chinese. The sustainability measures are not an inconvenience, as many Indian travellers indicated they engage in sustainable travel behaviour because it adds a positive experience to their trip, it added. The survey was commissioned by Booking.com and was independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months or plan to take a trip in the next 12 months. About 12,134 respondents were surveyed from 12 markets, including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Spain, France, India, Italy, Japan, Brazil, the UK and the US. From India, 1,018 respondents were surveyed. [caption id=“attachment_2943174” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Tourism. Representational image. AP[/caption] The sustainable activities most enjoyed by Indians during vacations are buying locally made products instead of mass-produced tourist souvenirs (69 percent), using public transport instead of a taxi (62 percent) and to find a local restaurant that only uses local ingredients (61 percent). Indians also like skipping tourist highlights in favour of less busy and often more rewarding sights (48 percent) and opt for a place to stay that is a certified eco-accommodation over a traditional hotel (58 percent), it added. “Sustainable travel is a subjective term that has different connotations for different people. Indian travellers are increasingly looking to explore and experience the world in a sustainable way. This research reaffirms that sustainable travel is within reach for all of us, which is encouraging,” Vikas Bhola, head - Indian sub-continent, Booking.com, said. Most Indians look for sustainable options as 75 percent said they were motivated by the impressive natural sights, including rain forests, coral reefs, among others. About 72 percent also felt motivated by the positive effect sustainable tourism had on local people, it added.