Erna Low Survey Suggests Gen Z Skiers Are Less Likely To Make Individual Changes To Tackle Climate Change
With unpredictable weather giving us a mixed ski season of rain, warm temperatures, and late-season snowfall, it’s clear that climate change is having a significant impact on the industry. But what are people willing to do about it?
Erna Low, a leading provider of fully customisable skiing and snowsports holidays, wanted to find out what changes snowsports enthusiasts would be willing to make, to cut their carbon emissions.
Well, it seems that the climate is on their minds; 67% of respondents said that action needs to be taken to tackle climate change within the next five years - with 16-24-year-olds leading the charge.
In your opinion, when do you think the ski industry needs to take action to adapt and implement sustainable practices to mitigate the effects of climate change?
|
16-24 |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45-54 |
55+ |
Average |
|
|
Action needs to be taken now (in the next 5 years) |
78% |
71% |
61% |
54% |
69% |
67% |
|
Action needs to be taken in the near future (6 – 10 years) |
16% |
22% |
35% |
46% |
23% |
28% |
|
Action needs to be taken, but not in the near future (more than 10 years time) |
4% |
5% |
3% |
0% |
8% |
4% |
|
I don't think action is needed |
3% |
2% |
1% |
0% |
0% |
2% |
Yet despite such a large number of respondents agreeing that action is needed now, none of the respondents had made any changes to their skiing holidays.
When it comes to changes they would be willing to make going forward, opting for accommodation that is certified as eco-friendly and choosing a resort that has strong green credentials came out on top, while travelling with others in a car, van, or joining a coach trip are also popular choices
23% of respondents said they would be happy to go skiing less often or choose resorts that were closer in distance. The least popular option is travelling by train; just 18% of skiers would be happy to get the train to their destination.
When it comes to age, the results are surprising; despite almost 80% saying action needs to be taken within five years, 16-24s are least likely to make individual changes to reduce their impact on the environment. Those aged 45+, however, are more open to making changes.
Thinking about your ski holiday, what, if anything, would you be willing to do to help cut your carbon emissions? (Select all that apply)
|
16-24 |
25-34 |
35-44 |
45-54 |
55+ |
|
|
I would opt for accommodation which is flagged as eco-friendly |
25% |
31% |
35% |
32% |
54% |
|
I would only choose a ski resort which had strong green credentials |
26% |
33% |
33% |
32% |
23% |
|
I would be willing to join a group and travel in a car/van with multiple people |
17% |
27% |
35% |
29% |
23% |
|
I would be willing to get a coach |
22% |
20% |
31% |
25% |
38% |
|
I would be willing to go skiing less often |
27% |
23% |
22% |
23% |
23% |
|
I would opt for resorts closer to home |
27% |
20% |
22% |
17% |
38% |
|
I would be willing to drive |
23% |
18% |
23% |
28% |
46% |
|
I would be willing to pay more for the holiday |
11% |
17% |
23% |
29% |
15% |
|
I would be willing to get the train |
7% |
15% |
22% |
25% |
54% |
|
I would not be willing to do anything |
1% |
0.5% |
0.3% |
0% |
0% |
Paul Lange, Sustainability Manager at Erna Low, said, “We’re at a crucial point where we can't turn back the clock, but we can influence what happens in the future. Snowsports is something that millions of people all over the world enjoy, but the reality is that without change, in just 50 years, we may not have sufficient snow to support the industry. Not to mention the wider issues melting glaciers will cause.
“We know that travel will never be completely carbon neutral, but there are things we can change and steps we can take to reduce the carbon emissions of travel. This starts on both an individual and collective level. At Erna Low, we are always looking for ways we can reduce our carbon footprint, whether it’s making all our holidays self-serve, removing the need for our staff to be in resorts, continually evaluating our options when it comes to our packages, and even making changes in our head office to help the business and our employees reduce their impact on the world.”
Erna Low has developed a travel sustainability calculator to encourage this awareness and action within their own customer community. For more information on how this can be used and Erna Low’s wider efforts to combat the worrying effects of climate change, please click here
