New research from the University of Portsmouth suggests that a deep commitment to sustainability does not automatically translate into a willingness to pay for carbon offsets for holidays. The study, published in the journal Sustainability, analysed 560 UK tourists.
The findings revealed that 63.7 per cent of tourists with higher sustainability values expressed willingness to pay for carbon offsets, compared to 34.9 per cent of those with more moderate values. However, even within the more environmentally conscious group, over a third remained unwilling to pay.
This indicates that while sustainability values can identify tourists potentially receptive to carbon-offset schemes, concern for climate change does not guarantee action. The research comes at a time of increased scrutiny over greenwashing and the credibility of environmental claims within the tourism sector.
New European Union rules, the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (EU) 2024/825, which came into effect on 27 September 2026, aim to strengthen consumer protection against misleading environmental marketing. These changes emphasise the need for credible sustainability claims, making it crucial for businesses to understand consumer responses to environmental messages.
“"Our findings show that even people who place a high value on protecting the environment are not automatically willing to pay more to reduce the impact of their holidays. Understanding that gap is important if we want to develop carbon-offset schemes that people are willing to support."
The study explored whether tourists could be categorised by their sustainability values and how these groups differed in their concern about global warming and willingness to pay for offsets. Researchers identified two groups: those with higher and more moderate sustainability values, based on areas such as respect for nature, social equity, tolerance, and shared responsibility.
The group with higher values showed greater concern about global warming and were nearly twice as likely to opt for carbon offsetting. However, the research also highlights that sustainability-minded tourists are not a monolithic group, with some willing to pay and others not, despite strong environmental support.
Professor Ekinci stated that while sustainability values can guide businesses in identifying receptive tourists, they should not assume environmental concern automatically leads to purchases. Schemes must be clear, credible, and easy for customers to evaluate. This is particularly relevant as governments and regulators increasingly focus on transparent environmental claims.
Carbon offsets allow travellers to fund projects aimed at reducing or removing greenhouse gas emissions. However, consumers may struggle to verify the environmental benefits of these projects. The researchers recommend that offset providers ensure their schemes are transparent and easily verifiable, clearly detailing funding, verification processes, and benefit calculations.
