By Spl Correspondent
Amadeus, a travel technology company, conducted a study on sustainability practices in the Indian travel industry. The results show a strong focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives.
The key findings are 92% of travel decision-makers in India are actively working on or planning to implement sustainable practices in 2024.
The travelers are increasingly looking for travel options that align with their environmental values. The study found optimism about achieving the UNWTO goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
- 79% of decision-makers believe the industry can reach the target.
- 43% believe it’s achievable without adjustments, while 36% say faster progress is needed.
Most respondents (92% for environment and 95% for social) have or plan to implement sustainability initiatives. Around 58% of respondents plan to invest more in sustainability efforts in 2024 compared to 2023.
The barriers to sustainability are Environment are
Cost (41%), C-suite buy-in (40%), and lack of technology/knowledge (26%) are the biggest barriers.
Social: Lack of knowledge (35%), C-suite buy-in (34%), and lack of technology (30%) are the main hurdles.
Governance: Lack of knowledge (40%), complex regulations (31%), and insufficient industry guidance (29%) are the key challenges.
Over 90% of respondents believe technology is crucial for achieving sustainability goals. Technologies for removing CO2 from the atmosphere are seen as highly impactful (34%). Access to better travel data (31%) and advanced search tools for sustainable travel options (30%) are also seen as important.
Jackson Pek, SVP at Amadeus, highlighted the industry’s commitment to sustainability through investments, planning, and technology adoption. Amadeus is committed to supporting travel companies and travelers in making sustainable choices.
Mani Ganeshan, SVP at Amadeus India, emphasized the importance of ESG investment growth and applauded surveys like this for measuring progress. Amadeus will continue to partner with customers to drive sustainable travel through innovation and collaboration.
The study indicates a significant shift towards sustainability in the Indian travel industry, with a focus on technology and collaboration to achieve long-term environmental and social goals.