Canadian travellers ARE making earth-friendly decisions when deciding where to travel.
The environment seems to be top of mind for Canadian travellers. A 2012 study from Expedia showed over 75% of respondents were not only aware that the hotel industry is making efforts to reduce their environment impact, but they wanted to know how they had personally contributed to helping the environment. Similarly, a 2012 Trip Advisor survey found that 71% of travellers make green choices when deciding where to travel.
We, at Sustainable Tourism, conducted our own survey this summer and it matches right up to the Expedia and Trip Advisor results: 75% of respondents said they do considered a company’s green program or logo when deciding to stay, experience, or purchase with a BC tourism business. 89% of participants felt, in varying degrees, it was important to have third-party verification of the companies green intentions. The results of this survey will be released next month.
For Ramona, a 30 something Calgarian who regularly travels to BC, sustainable living is a big part of her life. So naturally, thinking green when deciding where to stay and what to do is part of her travel-planning process. After a trip to Vancouver this past year, Ramona was delighted to stay at a hotel that not only had strong green programs in place, but a credible logo to back up them up.