Almost a quarter of people in the UK (23 per cent) consider going on holiday as essential spend, with almost a third (30 per cent) saying they would reduce donations to charity to afford a holiday, new research published by Charitable Travel reveals.
Whilst 18 per cent of people considered donating to charity as ‘essential’, almost three quarters (71 per cent) blame the cost-of-living crisis as the reason for not donating more.
When asked about their existing charitable giving, half (49 per cent) said they would you like to give more money to charity in general, with around 20 per cent saying they were forced to reduce their donations.
Charitable Travel, the travel agency that enables customers to donate a percentage of their holiday to charity, has today revealed new research which highlights how people are re-evaluating their spending due to the cost-of-living crisis. The survey also found that entertainment, including music and viewing subscriptions (15 per cent) and morning coffee (10 per cent) were considered as ‘essential’ spending.
The most common way people gave to charity was through bucket collections (39 per cent) or through sponsorship of friends and family (35 per cent). 12 per cent said they donate their time. These findings echo discussions Charitable Travel’s expert agents have daily with customers who are rethinking how and where they spend their money, resulting in an increase in demand for their services, which enables holiday goers to maintain support of their favourite charity at the same time, at no extra cost.
Founded in April 2020, Charitable Travel works the same as other high-end travel agencies, with one key difference. The social enterprise will donate five per cent of the cost of the holiday - usually charged to generate profit - to a charity of the customer’s choice, via a partnership with JustGiving. Charitable Travel’s mission is to make travel “a force for good.” Whether it’s a city break or a beach getaway, holidaymakers can rest assured that their booking supports travel for good.
Melissa Tilling, Founder and Chief Executive at Charitable Travel said: “The devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic means charities need our support now more than ever, but the cost-of-living crisis has resulted in people having less and less disposable income, with many making difficult financial sacrifices. We know that holidays can be beneficial to our mental and physical health, especially during these tough times and the recent increase in demand that we’ve seen here at Charitable Travel reinforces this sentiment.
“Our survey shows that methods such as bucket collections are the most common ways of giving but these one-off donations tend to be lower in value. Charitable Travel offer holiday goers the opportunity to increase their giving, simply by booking a holiday. For a family of four - where the average cost of a holiday is £2,000 - a free donation of £100 would be made to a charity of their choice, clearly demonstrating the value in booking with Charitable Travel.
“In addition, as part of our travel for good ethos, reflecting the growing interest to doing good by donating time and effort rather than money, we have just launched our voluntourism hub.
“An online resource which provides details of charitable projects in destinations where holidaymakers can take a little time out whilst away to help the local community. From beach cleans to wildlife studying initiatives.”
