One of the more recent trends in travel is the shift towards sustainable and Eco-friendly products and services. Travel consumers are becoming increasingly climate conscious as environmental issues and increasing weather events dominate mainstream media. Sustainable options and methods of travel with reduced carbon footprints are becoming more of a preference for Eco-minded travel clients. A recent survey posted at Radical Storage suggested that 53% of travel consumers surveyed would seek out accommodations that were comfortable and had innovative sustainable features. Demand for Eco-friendly travel is expected to grow 13.5% in 2024, in spite of slowing leisure travel business. Travel businesses are adopting new technologies that can drive sustainability initiatives that can reduce the industry’s negative impacts on the environment.
Sustainability Starts in Operations
Travel and tourism are large sector industries and consume vast amounts of resources to continue operations. The travel industry is responsible for 8% of the Earth’s C02 emissions with almost half created by travel transportation services alone. The operational end of the industry is committed to reducing environmental impact and businesses are adopting technology to optimize operations and manage emissions and waste:
- Airports consume a considerable amount of energy to operate and many facilities are exploring and adopting alternative ways to generate energy. Advanced technologies can manage and monitor generation and consumption, optimizing both for efficiency.
- Airlines are adopting scheduling technology that optimizes routes to maximize use of equipment and fuel resources. Creating more efficient schedules could lead to fuel savings over time, reducing overall carbon footprint.
- Hotels & Resorts are using automation technology to manage environmental controls and energy consumption. Inventory control technology can help Food & Beverage departments streamline inventory and reduce waste.
- Digitizing Operations – Certain aspects of the travel business creates large amounts of paper and adopting digital B2B and B2C communication platforms can reduce or eliminate paper waste as well as save costs.
Using innovations in operational technologies, travel providers can advance their sustainable initiatives by creating efficiencies and streamlining processes. Investment in technology can be high at first but the industry does have somewhat of a moral obligation to reduce its environmental impact but conversely, businesses may realize cost benefits and resource maximization by fine tuning the backend.
Consumers are Key Players in Sustainability
Public messaging involving climate change and environmental impact is resonating with more consumers every year and buying groups are starting to shift preferences to environmentally friendly versions of products and services they use. These new preferences extend to travel purchasers as Eco-conscious consumers seek out information on their own carbon footprint as well as travel options that are considered sustainable. Most major airlines and Online Travel Agencies utilize technology to display total carbon output for flights as well as suggest alternative routes that may emit less C02. OTA’s also have dedicated categories and provide embedded search filters for Eco-friendly travel products and services, increasing access to these products and services. Hotels and resorts use technology onsite to communicate sustainability initiatives and educate guests on Eco-friendly habits during their stay.
Driving Customer Service with AI
Travel businesses rely on frontline teams to deliver service and hospitality to clients and guests and any successful sustainability campaign starts with a well trained and highly informed staff. AI based technology is capable of advanced person to person interactions making it an excellent training tool to communicate sustainability processes and messages. AI’s ability to process large amounts of real time and historical data means training content can stay up to date and relevant as times change. Local, regional and national regulations regarding climate change, environmental processes and sustainability measures can also be quickly referred to on AI platforms by simply asking standard language questions. AI tools can also become permanent resources for frontline teams, offering easy access to internal and public information regarding carbon footprints and climate impact.
Sustainable Travel is a Long Term Trend
The travel industry is a notorious polluter, contributing to a significant part of the worlds’ C02 output every year and with climate change awareness at an all time high, travel consumers are shifting preferences to more Eco-friendly options and services. Sustainable travel is a growing category that caters directly to Eco-consciousness travel consumers. Travel providers are adopting consumer facing and backend technology to help drive sustainability initiatives to control and reduce carbon emissions. Eco-minded consumers are interested in understanding their own carbon footprint when traveling and service providers are using technology to convey relevant information to purchasers. Climate change in the media and actual worsening weather events will continue to push awareness and fuel demand for Eco-friendly travel products and services. Travel businesses can use technology to create more efficient processes and systems to meet the increasing demand for sustainable travel options.
For more in-depth research on technology and sustainable travel, download the latest market snapshot from the Media Center.