Rakuten Travel, the biggest OTA in Japan, revealed in the survey on sustainability in traveling that more than 40% have had stronger awareness for sustainability in traveling than before since the COVID-19 pandemic happened. The survey was conducted in December 2022 to 20 to 69 years old 1082 travelers within the last two years.
The most motivated reason for changing awareness is ‘food loss or food crisis’ (45.6%), followed by ‘energy crisis’ (41.6%) and ‘natural disaster or damage on environment’ (40.1%).
発表資料より
The most answers of paying attention to sustainability in traveling is found in 20s, while the least answers in 40s. Interestingly, people who travel five times or more a year tend to have higher awareness to sustainability, and the ratio is 5 higher points than the average.
Also, the ratio of being aware of sustainability among people who spend 15,000 to 40,000 JPY a night is 5 higher points than the average, while the ratio among less than 5,000 JPY a night is 10 lower points than the average.
Seventy percent of all respondents answer that there is a certain issue in sustainability. Top three answers are ‘trashes in a destination’ (31.4%), ‘food loss in a destination’ (28.8%) and ‘too much services in a hotel or a ryokan’ (22.2%). Respondents answer that they want to address the above issues in a destination.
Sustainable travelers pay attention to ‘reduction of amenities or food losses’ (43.6%), ‘reduction of water used in changing linens’ (34.5%) and ‘farm to table foods’ (33.6%), when they choose accommodation.
