by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 12:50 AM ET, Thu October 18, 2018
Travelers under 30 consider the ethical impact of the trips more than any other age demographic.
What's more, millennials expect travel companies to offer socially-conscious travel options, according to a new study released by Intrepid Travel and conducted by OnePoll.
The study's most significant findings included:
-86 percent of 18- 29-year-olds consider it important when booking a trip for a company to offer sustainable travel options
-90 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds consider a travel company's commitment to ethical travel important when booking a trip
-18- to 29-year-olds are the most likely demographic to think that travel companies have a greater responsibility to provide sustainable experiences.
-The two things 18- to 29-year-olds consider the most important when booking travel is affordability (52 percent) and knowing their travel dollars are supporting local communities (51 percent).
-86 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds are willing to spend more on their travel if it meant the experiences included were completely ethical.
-The main reason why 18- to 29-year-olds would book a holiday with the same company they've already traveled with is that they felt like their dollars were put towards a truly local and immersive experience.
The survey of 2,000 North American travelers made clear that there's a distinct difference in priorities among millennials and older generations.
For instance, 58 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds would spend more on travel if they knew their money was going into the local communities they are visiting, versus just 32 percent of travelers aged 51-plus.
In addition, 77 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds say that sustainability impacts their decision to travel, compared to 48 percent of travelers 51-plus.
And finally, about 43 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds believe it's important that a company focuses on environmental and social causes they care about, compared to 32 percent of travelers between the ages of 41 and 50, and 17 percent of travelers aged 51-plus.
With such numbers in mind, Intrepid, the world's largest provider of sustainable travel, has just announced the launch of a new line of tours exclusive designed for the 18- to 29-year-old demographic.
The new offerings, more than 80 trips among them, focus on affordability, sustainability, and immersive activities.
Tour prices for the new line of offerings start at $335 per person. In addition, Intrepid will be offering $99 deposits on the trips, in order to make them more accessible to a younger generation of travelers.
Among the new tours is a seven-day camping trip in Iceland, a nine-day tour in Egypt that includes cruising the Nile River and an eight-day trek to Machu Picchu in Peru.
"In an increasingly connected world, younger generations are more aware than ever of environmental and societal issues around the globe, and how their decisions impact those issues," said Darshika Jones, director of North America, Intrepid Travel. "Our new 18 to 29s trip range was designed for these young, informed, and adventurous customers who are eager to discover new places and cultures, make a difference in the world, and connect with people their own age who share the same values."
Intrepid Travel has been a carbon-neutral company since 2010 and made headlines for its efforts focused on animal welfare by being the first global tour operator to ban elephant rides.
More recently, Intrepid has taken a leadership position on child protection by removing orphanage visits from its itineraries.
Every Intrepid tour supports local communities by using local transportation, employing a local tour leader, and staying and eating at locally-owned businesses.
In August 2018, the company became the world's largest travel B Corporation, a certification that represents Intrepid's commitment to using its business to create a positive impact for both people and the planet.
And just last week, amid the spate of news about over tourism challenges in Asia, Intrepid released its list of more sustainable travel destinations in the region.
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