July 2007

Download PDF

Download Word doc

Email

Print

Cost of UK holidays stop Brits reducing their carbon footprint

- Almost one in five Brits would like to reduce their carbon footprint but find UK holidays too expensive
- 45 per cent of Brits are concerned about carbon emissions produced through flying abroad
- More than one in five would only consider holidays in the UK if they were cheaper.

With the holiday season upon us, research released by travel insurer MORE TH>N reveals that while many British holidaymakers aspire to be eco-friendly, the cost of holidaying in Britain puts them off going green.

After the weather, the cost is the second biggest factor preventing Brits from having a UK holiday. Almost half (49 per cent) of Brits believe holidaying in the UK is too expensive and a fifth actually consider that the resorts are not as friendly as they are abroad. Almost a quarter of the population believe that if the UK was cheaper for things like food, drinks and accommodation they would holiday here to reduce their carbon footprint.

While there has been an increased emphasis on Brits to consider their carbon footprint when planning their summer holiday, there has actually been an increase of UK residents travelling abroad in the past year to 68.4 million visits1. And unless the cost comes down, a fifth (22 per cent) don’t see any alternative but to continue making these trips.

And when it comes to UK holiday locations, 38 per cent consider Cornwall to be too expensive and 28 per cent believe that Devon is. One in six people believe that there simply is not as much to do on holiday in the UK as there is abroad. A family of four could typically get a weeks holiday in the Costa Del Sol, Spain for £1120 (including flights) in peak season while a weeks holiday in a cottage in Devon can cost £16502.

Mike Holliday-Williams, managing director at MORE TH>N, comments: “Although we are all being encouraged to think green when considering our summer holidays, our research reveals that although Brits would like to make the effort to reduce their carbon footprint the costs of holidays in this country is a huge barrier. Holiday operators should be aware of this so that they can think of ways to entice Brits to holiday in the UK so that we can all work harder to reduce our impact on the environment”

David Marshall, Association of British Travel Agent’s (ABTA) head of communications, comments: “The travel industry takes global warming incredibly seriously and we are promoting carbon offsetting schemes and other green initiatives. Currently aviation contributes two per cent of emissions globally and we will do everything in our power to make sure that does not grow. However with holiday prices in the UK comparing unfavourably to most foreign destinations plus the great British weather letting us all down once again, it is no surprise that upwards of 45 million of us will holiday abroad this year. ”

SHARE THIS ARTICLE: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?