Will You Pay More for Green Travel? - 208
Monday, August 31, 2009 at 11:24AM 
According to an article at Travel Agent Central, U.S. travelers are better acquainted with the definition of terms associated with sustainable travel, but most are unwilling to pay a higher price for eco-friendly options. This information comes from the most recent issue of travelhorizons, a quarterly survey of consumers conducted by the U.S. Travel Association and Ypartnership.
While the term “environmentally conscious” is one 78 percent of consumers have used to describe themselves since 2007, knowledge and familiarity of terms such as “carbon footprint” and “green travel” has drastically increased in the same two year period. However, this still doesn’t seem to be enough for travelers to fork over extra dough for eco-friendly travel options in the current economy. According to the survey, only 9 percent of travelers are willing to pay more for green travel services.
That doesn’t mean that most of us aren’t paying attention. Sustainable practices from eco-conscious suppliers are something we notice. Fifty-eight percent of travelers surveyed believe that environmental programs facilitated by travel service providers can have a positive impact on the environment. It just boils down to the fact that we are looking for green travel options for the right price.
If you are interested in learning more about green travel, including what all those environmentally friendly certifications mean, check out TravelGreen.org. The site was started by the U.S. Travel Association and American Express earlier this year to create a clearinghouse of information for consumers about the latest research and trends in green travel.
Are you willing to pay more for travel options that are eco-friendly?
Photo by Loozrboy
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Lori Rice is a Galavanting Travel News & Reviews correspondent and features contributor, she keeps two blogs at Blondie in Brazil and Fake Food Free. You can also follow Lori on twitter
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