Vacation in focus: Sustainability hardly plays a role for travelers!

Vacation in focus: Sustainability hardly plays a role for travelers!

A recent survey shows that sustainability plays a minor role when planning vacations. According to a survey conducted on May 21, 2025, only 31% of participants pay attention to environmental and climate factors, for example by preferring train travel. The majority, around 69%, however, say that sustainability is not a decisive factor for them when choosing a travel destination. Instead, sun, beach and relaxation are at the forefront of their travel preferences. These results are consistent with the larger context of challenges in tourism, particularly in regions such as South Tyrol, where overtourism is a significant problem. Users in the comments section expressed concern that many travelers show little interest in sustainable travel despite well-known environmental issues, including overtourism.

User @N. G. criticizes the fact that 70% of respondents are not interested in sustainability, while user @Schimmelreiter calls for those who complain about overtourism to also change. This discussion shows the tension between individual travel habits and the need for sustainable tourism.

Long-term trends and awareness of sustainability

The study “Sustainability Monitor: Sustainability in Holiday Travel” examines knowledge and demand for sustainable holiday options. In recent years, travel habits have changed in response to the coronavirus pandemic. During 2020 and 2021, many people became more climate-friendly by traveling less, choosing shorter distances and using more environmentally friendly modes of transport. However, already in 2022 and 2023, travel behavior quickly returned to pre-pandemic levels, and the number of kilometers traveled by air exceeded the 2019 peak in 2023. However, 49% of Germans would like their vacation trips in 2024 to be more ecologically friendly, which represents an increase of 7 percentage points compared to 2019.

In 2023, sustainability was a deciding factor for only 3% of vacation trips. She played at least one role in the decision-making process in 17% of trips. Interestingly, 30% of companies have sustainable travel policies in place with the aim of reducing travel volume and promoting sustainable transport; However, most of the requirements are not binding.

Challenges and potential of sustainability

Despite the growing awareness of sustainable practices, the connection between travel spending and sustainability attributes remains unclear. Travelers who care about sustainability often tend to spend less, choosing shorter distances and more environmentally friendly accommodation and transportation. Additionally, analysis shows that 44% of vacationers in 2023 experienced crowded situations during their stay, particularly when traveling by air, highlighting the urgent need for more responsible tourism.

The challenge remains, however, that sustainability has rarely been the deciding factor in holiday travel. Greater commitment and a shift in awareness are needed at both an individual and political level to reduce the environmental footprint of travel in the long term. Annual monitoring reports and studies such as those from the Federal Environment Agency also offer further analyzes that document developments in this area.

For more information on this topic you can read the articles on South Tyrol News and that Federal Environment Agency read.