Sustainable travel has ‘slipped down the agenda’ of businesses

Sustainability has “slipped down” the agenda of travel businesses, the focus has moved away from the climate crisis to nature, and consumers have become more cynical about sustainability claims.

That is according Kasia Morgan, head of sustainability at tour operator Exodus Adventure Travels, who told the Abta Sustainable Travel Conference in London last month: “Sustainability has definitely slipped down the agenda, particularly in America.”

She said the situation facing tour operators was “ever changing, ever more unpredictable”, arguing regulation on sustainability had also fallen down the agenda although “some regulation, such as greenwashing regulation, has helped”.

Morgan suggested: “There has been some loss of ambition and momentum because we’ve seen how difficult it is to drive this [sustainability]. We’ve lost some of the innocence and ambition we had. 

“Conversations in the industry have changed. When we came out of Covid, we were focused on the climate emergency. There has perhaps been a realisation we were too focused on that because there is more focus on nature and biodiversity [now].”

She noted: “Lots of customers are interested in nature, and our sector has a big role to play.” 

But she added: “I fear we might have come full circle and lost our focus on climate and decarbonisation, and we need to pull that from under the rug. It would be great to see the industry re-engage [on decarbonisation].”

Morgan reported a recent consumer survey by Exodus which showed “more cynicism toward companies’ sustainability claims” than two years ago.

She argued: “There is no more willingness to choose or to pay for more sustainable options, but customers do expect it [sustainability]. We’ve learned we need to build sustainability in [to what we do] and do it by stealth.”

However, she insisted “There are things we can do regarding customer behaviour – influence is key.” 

Morgan acknowledged the topic “has moved down the agenda in my own business”, telling the conference: “There is tension and contradictions between sustainability and the commercial goals of an organisation, and you need to be comfortable with both. 

“It has never been more important to reframe what we’re talking about and speak the language of our peers in the boardroom.”

Yet she argued: “We need to be dissatisfied with our progress. I hope we can drive the agenda forward.”