With environmental and sustainability concerns, Intrepid introduce their first ever UK Adventure travel index.
Speaking to the TTG, chief executive James Thornton said: “There is lots of marketing out there saying companies are sustainable; millennial and Generation Z travellers will want to see the proof.”
Intrepid Travel, the adventure touring specialists have launched their first UK Adventure Travel Index as of Monday (14 October), which follows similar patterns in Australia and in New Zealand.
Intrepid polled more than 2,000 UK adults on their travel habits and preferences. They found that the most popular reason to opt for a more adventurous type of travel was to explore new places they are curious about.
58% of all respondents, and 60% of those respondents aged 18-24, said sustainability was an important factor when choosing how to travel and which operator to travel with.
James Thornton said: “The travel industry is under increasing pressure to provide for environmentally conscious travellers.
“Gen Z and millennials are concerned with their environmental footprint; their priorities have changed in the sense it isn’t necessary to have the biggest house, the best car or material possessions. They just want great experiences.
“It’s no longer good enough to just stay in a hotel where there are no plastic straws. They want a material impact and they want to see external benchmarks for that.”
Thornton also stressed adventure travel was become increasingly popular with older travellers, those with older children, more free time, who have paid off their mortgages, and perhaps did not get the chance to travel extensively before starting their careers.
Burgeoning destinations include Jordan, which made its debut in the index’s top 10 at number five following a 75% increase in Intrepid bookings from January through August compared to the same period in 2018.
“Morocco has long been a popular destination, but Jordan at number five was a big surprise. There has been a challenge to get passengers back there since the Arab Spring, but Jordan is pretty stable now and I was surprised to see it there, but it’s great.”
