Tootbus study reveals cost of living and inflation seem to be impacting European attitudes towards sustainable city breaks

Our 2nd barometer of sustainable tourism aims to capture how current attitudes to environmental challenges are likely to shape city break travel trends in the future. This survey was conducted by OpinionWay and contains insights gathered from more than 3,000 travellers across 3 countries (France, Belgium and UK).

Tourists: a “greenish” feeling

The study found that in 2023, European tourists are increasingly interested in exploring unfamiliar cities and off-the-beaten-track destinations. Respondents from all three countries surveyed expressed a preference for visiting little-known and less-visited cities, with culture being the primary factor influencing their choice of destination.

Inflation a brake on sustainable tourism

Survey results show that sustainable city breaks are perceived as expensive by the respondents and while they seem to be ready to make changes to their travel habits, most of them expressed stronger interest in reducing their budget rather than their carbon footprint, with a considerable percentage of Europeans unwilling to pay more for sustainable travel options.

The study also highlighted positive trends in Europeans' travel habits with a focus on consuming local and responsible food, purchasing local products, and engaging in responsible activities.

It also revealed that tourism operators have a critical role to play in promoting sustainable tourism suggesting a need for increased awareness, financial incentives, and official regulations to encourage stakeholders to adopt sustainable practices.

Tootbus and Opinion Way barometer summary