Beyond Climate Change: Cultural and Economic Sustainability in Travel

Summary

The term “sustainability” has become synonymous with climate change. While the importance of caring for the environment should not be understated, travelers can neglect cultural and economic sustainability in the face of more pressing climate considerations. Seemingly, a lack of reliable, accessible information poses huge challenges: Tourist areas are coping with cultural erosion, disrespectful tourists, struggles to retain tourism's economic benefits locally, and maintaining affordable housing and resources for locals. Meanwhile, many travelers are none the wiser. While exhibiting positive intentions, the majority need more information and incentives to take actionable steps towards economic and cultural awareness and preservation.

Phocuswright’s Beyond Climate Change: Cultural and Economic Sustainability in Travel is part of a comprehensive consumer research study focused on sustainability in the modern travel environment. Key questions addressed include:

• What is travelers’ awareness level with regard to issues surrounding cultural and economic sustainability?
• How do consumers’ intentions, misconceptions and incentives concerning sustainable travel behavior influence the trip-related choices they make?
• What are travelers’ attitudes regarding who should be responsible for addressing cultural and economic sustainability challenges?
• How does the rapid proliferation of short-term rentals impact economic and cultural sustainability in popular destinations?
• What can travel suppliers, DMOs and other stakeholders do to help bridge the gap between good intent and measurable sustainability actions on the part of the consumer?