"Price takes priority" over the environment for holidaymakers

Holidaymakers are prioritising price over the environment when booking their trips away, according to one industry expert.

The Association of British travel Agents (ABTA) made the claims this week, adding that sustainable travel is perceived as "expensive" by holidaymakers.

Sean Tipton, a spokesperson for ABTA said: "If you ask someone if they are concerned about the environment it is unlikely they will say 'no', [but] from a customers perspective it is price that's driving them."

He added: "The [tourism] industry is very concerned about the damage it does to the environment [as] it is very counter-productive for us to develop a beautiful place and ruin it."

It makes good economic sense that the industry does its best to ensure that as little damage as possible is done, Sean explained.

Last March VisitBritain and England Marketing published their 'Sustainable Tourism Research' report, which revealed that sustainable tourism in England is still in its infancy.

However, the report also found that consumers expect sustainable tourism to become increasingly important in future, due to the amount of attention being given to environmental issues at the moment.

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