The aim of this area of activity is to integrate sustainable messages into all of VisitBritain’s marketing campaigns and communications thus promoting sustainable businesses and encouraging visitors to be responsible.

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Britain as a sustainable destination

There is much for VisitBritain to proactively market, and also for the British to be proud of.  We have extensive natural and cultural heritage, much of which is highlighted in the key facts document which VisitBritain produced.  

The World Economic Forum reported that the United Kingdom has been rated as 10th in a league table of countries based on their environmental performance, also 2007 saw the New Forest winning the Virgin Responsible Tourism Awards “overall winner” category.

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Consumer attitudes towards sustainable tourism

VisitBritain research in England 2007 looked at consumer’s attitudes towards sustainable tourism, specifically relating to the domestic market. A synopsis of the report can be downloaded, or the full report is available to buy.  It covers the following areas:

• What consumers' attitudes are towards sustainable issues generally and sustainable tourism specifically?
• What tourists think about sustainable accommodation and attractions?

• What consumers look for when booking sustainable accommodation or attractions and how much they are prepared to pay?

• What's the best way to convey the sustainable tourism message to your market?

The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has recently published a research paper on people’s current understanding of sustainable and leisure and their response to behaviour that may mitigate that impact.  The research used focus groups and an industry workshop, which reflected on the findings.  NB this research relates to domestic and outbound travel not inbound visitors. 

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How visitors can be more responsible

We all have the desire to travel and see the world; to explore new places and discover new cultures. And in today’s world, international travel is cheaper and more accessible than ever before. Tourism is now the world’s fastest growing industry, but of course with that comes the increased responsibility on us to try to reduce any negative impact our journeys may have on the environment.

About 700 million people worldwide travel every year, with over 30 million tourists visiting Britain from abroad. That's a lot of flights, car journeys, overnight stays and money spent. But that doesn’t mean your visitors have to forfeit having a holiday with you. There are lots you can do to encourage your visitors to travel responsibly and counterbalance the environmental effects of travelling.

VisitBritain has dedicated pages on their consumer website with ideas of how visitors can be greener.

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Finding a sustainable place to stay

There are hundreds of places to stay in Britain that have environmental credentials that have been verified by certification schemes recommended by VisitBritain.  Simply log-on to visitBritain.com or enjoyEngland.com and under the accommodation or attractions search pages, click “only included businesses that are green”

Information on the certification schemes that VisitBritain recommend can be found here on the Validated Schemes page.
 

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