"Traveling Kindly"... The 2030 Generation Spends Money on 'Eco-Friendly Travel'

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] Recently, as a culture of ethical consumption emphasizing eco-friendliness spreads among the 2030 generation, travel trends are also changing accordingly.

On the 18th, accommodation and activity platform Yanolja conducted a survey ahead of the spring travel season, revealing that 78.8% of the 2030 generation feel more favorable toward eco-friendly travel products. Eco-friendly travel refers to trips that incorporate environmentally friendly actions, such as plogging (picking up trash while jogging), zero waste, and using electric vehicles. In particular, as interest in eco-friendliness rises among the 2030 generation, the culture of ‘good travel’ is rapidly spreading.

Among the 2030 generation, 49.7% chose ‘using electric vehicles’ as the eco-friendly travel method they most want to try. This was followed by ‘walking or cycling (33.3%)’ and ‘using reusable containers (28.7%)’. They chose eco-friendly modes of transportation like electric vehicles, which require including charging stations along travel routes, and walking or cycling, which are non-motorized and less convenient. In fact, 55.8% of respondents said they would willingly endure inconveniences for the sake of eco-friendly travel.

Respondents showed willingness to compromise not only physical and time inconveniences but also economic aspects for the environment. Favorability toward eco-friendly travel products translated into purchase intentions, with 45.3% of respondents saying they would pay more to buy eco-friendly products. The additional amount they were willing to pay for eco-friendly features was up to 12% of the original price.

Kim Yong-kyung, Brand Director at Yanolja, said, “The 2030 generation associates eco-friendly travel more with ‘trendy travel’ than ‘inconvenient travel.’ Like the recently emerging plogging trend, various new ways to enjoy eco-friendly travel will continue to appear.”

This survey was conducted from the 7th to the 11th using the mobile research platform Open Survey, targeting 1,272 Yanolja app users.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.