With the bushfires and rising climate action being major talking points at the start of the decade, it was revealed in a study conducted by ING that Aussies have expressed a growing interest in being more mindful of their travel carbon footprint.

Two-thirds of Aussies are willing to pay more for a holiday if it means that they minimise their carbon footprint, but of course, paying more doesn’t always necessarily lead to a smaller environmental impact. More so than ever, Aussies are becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact that tourism can have on a country and how the congestion of people in these areas is affecting the environment.

“Our research shows Aussies are a mindful lot. Not only are we inspired to make important changes to the way our travel impacts the environment, but we’re also looking to minimise money waste,sticking to budgets that don’t allow for frivolous spending,”

said Melanie Evans, ING Head of Retail

We’ve acknowledged that even slight changes like going on off-peak holidays and visiting less commonly visited areas can be a great way of not only doing your part for the environment but also to save money. Instead of visiting areas packed with tourists, visit the more discrete, lesser-known areas. You’ll see that there are many hidden gems yet to be discovered.

On top of that, 47% of Aussies are adamantly sticking to conservative overseas spending budgets in order to promote low-waste and sustainability and to generally avoid unnecessary purchases.

Here are some of the most telling findings:

• 36% have considered travelling by train, bus or boat over flying
• 30% have considered going on fewer, longer trips in order to minimise flights
• One in five will consider amending their international holiday plans to visit a bushfire-affected region

Clearly, Aussies are wanting to do their part for the environment when it comes to their travelling habits and we can expect that to be a trend that will continue rising throughout 2020.