The principles of responsible travel were considered important or very important by 53 % of the respondents – especially young people, students and women. However, 17 % deemed them unimportant or not very important.

In practice, 6 % of respondents have changed their travel habits significantly due to environmental or social impacts. Interestingly, 8 % of men have done so compared to 4 % of women. A clear majority – 68 % – of Finns haven’t yet changed their travel habits.

Attitudes also vary according to location: 11 % of the respondents in Helsinki have changed their habits, whereas in Northern Finland the figure is only 2 %.

Would you pay more for responsibility?

Would Finns be willing to pay extra for a travel product if fair wages were guaranteed for the employees in the destination? In the survey, 58 % answered in the affirmative.

What’s more, about 50 % would be ready to financially support the protection of the environment in the destination – and pay more for a locally produced and authentic product.

Willingness was slightly lower when the respondents were asked whether they would pay more for environmentally friendly vehicles (39 %) or accommodation (about one-third) in the travel destination.

Several conscious and unconscious factors influence the choice of a travel product. The Haaga-Helia survey as well as international research indicate that responsibility has emerged as one of them, but the gap between thoughts and deeds still exists.