Travel-hungry consumers hardly think about the environment when picking a destination

Dutch people who enjoy going on holiday are not especially letting concerns about the environment and climate change stop them from doing so. According to travel industry leader Frank Oostdam, people find traveling more important since the restrictions of the coronavirus pandemic, and do not give as much consideration towards sustainability when choosing their destination.

Oostdam is the head of ANVR, the association of travel agents and tour operators. While individual vacationers are less focused on sustainability, the issue plays a much more significant role in business travel.

"There is also a trend among consumers towards a more conscious way of traveling, but this concerns a tiny group of people," Oostdam told ANP. "It is not 'top of mind.' It is up to us to change that. Companies are much more interested in compensation programs for carbon emissions." He added that there are far fewer people choosing to use an airplane for business travel when the destination is less than 400 kilometers away.

The restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic have made Dutch people realize how important travel is for them, said Oostdam. "Holidays have moved up the priority list and are clearly more important than buying products." This means that the travel sector expects record turnover in 2024. The ANVR does not think this is a one-off outlier but rather an image that will remain the same in the coming years.

In 2023, at least 10 to 15 percent price increases did not deter holidaymakers from choosing a destination. Oostdam expects consumers to pay more attention to costs this year due to high inflation but that they will still go on holiday. The director hopes and thinks that price increases will be limited to 5 percent this year, mainly because jet fuel is no longer becoming more expensive so quickly.

Furthermore, the travel sector sees consumer booking behavior "finally returning to normal patterns" after the coronavirus crisis. Dutch people are booking on time and going to their familiar destinations again. The Mediterranean region is especially popular. "Although people are increasingly choosing Scandinavian countries due to the heat there, but those numbers are limited," Oostdam notes.

The war between Israel and Hamas also influences travelers' choices. "Obviously Israel, but also Jordan and Egypt are having a more difficult time," says Oostdam. These travelers are now choosing a different region. It is not the case that they completely abandon their foreign holiday.