Holidays

Sustainable Travel – Increasingly Important for Local Bureaux de Change

Sustainable travel is no longer a niche concern – it is a growing factor in the decisions UK travellers make. Depending on questions asked and the profile of the traveller, up to 76% of people now consider sustainability when booking holidays.  More people choose destinations and travel options with lower environmental impacts. And about half of travellers think there are too few sustainable holiday options available.

For bureaux de change, this presents an opportunity to align services with changing travel behaviours and offer the right currencies at the right time.

How Sustainable Travel Affects Destination Choices

Eco-conscious travellers are increasingly selecting destinations based on their sustainability credentials. Popular choices include

• Rail-accessible European cities – Paris, Amsterdam, and Vienna have benefitted from the UK’s growing interest in train travel over short-haul flights.
• Eco-certified resorts – Destinations like Costa Rica, Norway, and New Zealand attract travellers seeking sustainability-focused accommodation and responsible tourism experiences
• Off-peak travel spots – More Brits are avoiding over-touristed locations in high season, choosing instead to visit places like Slovenia or Estonia in spring and autumn.

 

For bureaux de change, keeping a diverse selection of currencies for these emerging eco-travel destinations can be a smart move. For example, offering Norwegian krone or Costa Rican colón could help attract environmentally-conscious travellers looking for travel money options in advance.

Cash vs. Card: The Practicality of Sustainable Travel

Sustainable travel often leads to journeys and destinations where cash remains essential. While digital payments are widely accepted in Western Europe, many eco-travel hotspots still rely on physical currency. Examples include:

• Rural eco-retreats in countries like Costa Rica, Vietnam, or Nepal, where small businesses may not accept cards.
• Public transport networks in certain regions that require cash payments.
• Local markets and small-scale providers, where cash may be the only option, or cash transactions reduce processing fees and directly support the local economy.

 

UK travellers committed to sustainability may want to minimise their impact by avoiding unnecessary card transaction fees and ensuring they have the right local currency before departure.

Booking Patterns and the Foreign Currency Link

The trend towards sustainable travel is also influencing booking patterns. The January holiday booking rush remains important but is gradually becoming less so. Travellers are spreading their purchases throughout the year. In particular:

• Early bookers (6+ months in advance) are more likely to choose sustainable options, such as train travel or eco-hotels.
• Some last-minute travellers are often looking for flexible, low-impact trips but may have fewer choices for sustainable travel.
• Younger travellers—who are among the most sustainability-conscious—often plan off-peak trips, avoiding busy seasons, and selecting eco-certified accommodation.

 

For bureaux de change, this shift suggests that demand for travel money is no longer concentrated just before summer. Instead, having year-round promotions, and advertising currency for sustainable destinations can help attract customers as they plan their trips.

How Money4Travel Supports Sustainable Travel Trends

Understanding these shifts allows bureaux de change to optimise services. And Money4Travel helps businesses adapt by delivering two main benefits.

For consumers, there is a user-friendly interface. They can find local travel money specialists and book currency online with just a few clicks. For currency retailers, Money4Travel provides easy access to a genuinely local market and a guarantee that they will be able to offer the best exchange rates locally. Additionally, there a currency buy-back promise and a loyalty scheme to encourage repeat business.

For bureaux looking to attract sustainability-conscious travellers, Money4Travel’s solutions ensure a seamless, efficient foreign currency exchange process. It helps customers prepare for their eco-friendly adventures more easily. You can find out more by visiting  exchangers.money4travel.com.

Small Steps for big progress

Increasingly, sustainable travel is reshaping where and how UK travellers spend their money abroad. For bureaux de change, recognising these trends and adapting their offering accordingly can create new opportunities. By offering the right currency at the right time, businesses can support travellers who prioritise sustainability – while also encouraging strong year-round demand for travel money services.

 

By Declan Morton, writer and editor at Money4Travel – the online service for foreign currency sales in the UK. More about the author.

 

For reference: Sustainable Travel Report: All Trends, Tourism Approaches and Destination Statistics, SEO Travel, November 2024; Greener travel ‘now mainstream’ in holiday consideration, survey suggests, TTG November 2023;  ABTA Travel Trends conference 2024 – the highlights, Adido Digital, December 2024.