Sustainable tourism is defined by the UN World Tourism Organization and UN Environment Program as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.” Some of the issues that have caused the need for more sustainable and ethical tourism practices include the global rise in greenhouse gas emissions, overcrowding, and a loss of socio-cultural authenticity in host communities. When adults in the United States were surveyed in 2022, over 70 percent of respondents believed that
. When asked if they intended to
the majority of U.S. travelers said they would, but only if it did not inconvenience them. Meanwhile, approximately 30 percent of respondents said that they would even if it inconvenienced them. The
was approximately 25.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2021.
Growth of sustainable tourism in the U.S.
In the U.S. in recent years, sustainable tourism has become a more widely recognized issue. Travelers have begun to factor sustainability into their future travel plans and even feel
remorse over previously traveling unsustainably. In an August 2022 survey, 83 percent of U.S. respondents said that they experienced travel guilt about past trips they now worry may not have been sustainable. That being said, some consumers find it difficult to understand how their decisions impact the environment and therefore struggle to implement sustainability into their plans. For example, when surveyed, almost 50 percent of U.S. consumers believed that
if it was easier to understand the environmental impact of their food choices, it would have a greater influence on the choices they make. For some, not all, these choices may even involve spending more money - in 2022, 25 percent of U.S. adults that participated in the Statista Global Consumer Survey said that they had
paid extra for sustainable travel in the past two years.
Sustainability’s impact on the U.S. hospitality industry
When looking at
leading accommodation booking priorities in the U.S., 22 percent of respondents said that a brands’ approach to sustainability was a priority to them. A quarter of
U.S. adults also said that they would be willing to pay more for eco-friendly accommodation. A similar share of Gen Z and Millennial respondents said that they would pay more at around 30 percent each, meanwhile, Baby Boomers were the generation with the lowest percentage of respondents willing to pay more money. Many hospitality businesses are taking this into account, making moves to become more sustainable to increase bookings and encourage brand loyalty. This can include measures such as carbon, water, and waste reduction pledges, implementing “green teams” to oversee sustainability goals, and partnering with sustainable suppliers. That being said, in August 2022, the
main reason stated that U.S. consumers didn’t stay in a hotel with sustainable practices was that there were no eco-friendly properties where they went, showing that there is still some room for improvement in this area.
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