DRMumbai: On the World Environment Day, Cox & Kings, one of the leading leisure and education travel groups with operations in 22 countries across four continents, released its study that assesses ‘Young Indian’s demand for Sustainable Tourism and its perception of a GreenHoliday’.
Thanks to growing awareness through the internet and various activations, millennials are in the forefront to curb their carbon footprint by opting for a Sustainable Holiday. The Cox & Kings study shows that a whopping 87 per cent of the respondents feel strongly about saving the environment.The study also highlights the deciding parameters for accommodation, adventure type, the rise of ‘Voluntourism’, transport and travel logistics for the young Indian travellers.
The study was based on the survey carried out in key cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram, among 5000 youth aged between 20-35 years. It’s not hidden that tourism’s global carbon footprint has increased, accounting for about 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions; transport and food are also significant contributors. While the service providers at one end are modifying the business models to contribute positively, the travellers are becoming more conscious than ever.
Close to 72 per centof the participants said that on a holiday in Europe they would prefer to hire a bicycle or simply take a bus/train to explore. While there is very little that can be done to contain the greenhouse emissions by air-travel, Millennials in India wish to compensate by choosing the right local travel. Places to eat are chosen either through local or online research. A restaurant providing locally-sourced food, liquids with no straws, minimal or no usage of single-use plastics top the list for about 67 per cent of the young Indian travellers.
The demand of ‘Green Hotels’ and accommodation facilities is on the rise. An impressive 89 per cent of the respondents agreed to have chosen their stay post researching their sustainable practices. Be it a luxury accommodation facility or budget one, the young Indian explorer would choose the one that prioritises local community, local procurement of resources, solar power usage, waste treatment facilities and technology-intervention to minimise carbon footprints.
About 59 per cent of participants mentioned they reused their bath towels and asked for a no-replacement from the hotel staff. Voluntourism, an emerging trend of travel linked to doing good while on the go, is also a big hit. About 92 per cent of the young Indians expressed interest in participating in Plogging events, Rural Tours, Farming trips, NGO visits, cause-based trips and Sustainable Treks/Hikes.
Merging altruism with travel is highly satisfying for the Indian millennials. For many, ‘overtourism’ is a concerning phenomenon. About 74 per cent of the respondents agreed to skip destinations that are reeling under the problem of overtourism or mass tourism. To minimise the pressure on local resources, the conscious Indian traveller avoids visiting the place.
While a young Indian traveller is now in the driving seat of Sustainable Tourism, they seem to be determined to make tourism the channel for change. Cox &Kings promotes Responsible / Sustainable Tourism and is committed to work with its partners to reduce the global carbon footprints. Its adventure wing, Trip 360˚, has also launched rural trips, city green getaways, sustainable treks etc. to endorse Responsible Tourism.
