ELE ATHER
RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL
The environmental credentials of engineered leather mean it appeals to planet-conscious
passengers, as well as fuel-conscious airline operators and luxury-conscious marketeers
T
he future of our planet has
perhaps never drawn so
many headlines or been the
subject of such widespread discussion.
TV documentaries such as Our Planet
brought important issues that our
environment is facing into the
mainstream. But David Attenborough
is no lone iceberg when it comes to
highlighting environmental travails.
In recent months, the UK’s Duke and
Duchess of Sussex have made front page
headlines for taking four trips on private
jets in just 11 days, despite frequently
promoting eco-conscious lifestyles.
Amidst this uproar, 16-year old Greta
Thunberg has been described as a ‘rock
star’ for her climate campaign, due to the
crucial way in which she is very different
from other megastars who have spoken
out about the planet’s plight: whereas
many famous names are happy to address
governments and rally about global
warming before climbing into a helicopter
for the trip home, Sweden-based Thunberg
decided to travel to the two climate change
conferences in the US via boat, aiming for
a zero-carbon emissions journey.
As a result, the way that travellers
view climate change is changing. With a
renewed perception of our environment,
it is no surprise that the factors that
contribute to consumer purchase decisions
are evolving across every industry,
including aviation.
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116 ANNUAL SHOWCASE 2020
shame’. The effects of this movement are
already being felt: between late 2018 and
early 2019, Sweden’s main airport operator
recorded a year-on-year fall in passengers
for seven consecutive months.
This begs the question: whose
responsibility is it to be responsible? It
must go beyond just passengers, with an
industry-wide, holistic approach. While
industry legislation and governmental
regulations are forcing a degree of change,
there is an opportunity for airlines to
benefit from consumers being more
eco-conscious.
RISING RESPONSIBILITY
When we look at the travel industry as
a whole, there is a growing number of
‘responsible travellers’ to cater for.
Consumers are increasingly making a
conscious effort to respect and benefit
local people, their cultures, economies and
the environment when they travel. This, in
itself, has led to a whole new responsible
travel sector.
Thunberg’s decision to travel by boat
wasn’t just a case of the protestor making
a point; she was tapping into a Swedish
phenomenon known as flygskam or ‘flight
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