Britons fly abroad more than any other nation and worldwide emissions from flying are expected to grow significantly if left unchecked. By 2050, they could account for a quarter of the UK’s emissions. Yet most people don’t fly – around half those in the UK don’t fly [in any one year….] and probably around 95% of people worldwide have never even been in a plane.
Flying is one of the single biggest individual choices that can impact climate change, as flying uses a LOT of fuel. Given this, along with the flying debate taking off and the rise of ‘flygskam’ (flight-shame) in Sweden (denoting the personal guilt people feel about the environmental impact of flying), we wanted to delve into this topic more.
ESPECIALLY FOR HEN & STAG DOS
We started with polling looking specifically at a hen and stag do audience. It gave us insight into where people go, how they travel and what they want from a trip. The results were astonishing. A sky-high half of all flights taken by men aged 20-45 in 2019 were for stag dos, while just over a third of flights taken by women in the same age group were for hen dos.
Digging further, we were surprised to find that hen and stag dos abroad were not universally popular. In fact, 3 in 5 people we asked felt that they were too long, expensive and involved excessive travel. A third of people felt resentful about the cost with research finding that flying abroad resulted in an average spend of £421 per person compared to £261 for a UK hen or stag do. It highlighted how many feel pressured to go, with almost a third of people having gone as far to actually turn down an invite.
Meanwhile, 73% agreed that there are lots of great places in the UK for hen and stag dos. 60% of those surveyed preferred a UK-based hen or stag, because it’s cheaper, easier to get to and a more flexible option.
All people really want is to be together and have a great time. Check out our top ten tips for planning your dream UK hen or stag staycation.
Carbon emissions can be an abstract concept and difficult to relate to people’s everyday lives, so we partnered with Carbon Credit Capital a carbon offset management firm located in New York City to compare the emissions of a return flight with other everyday choices.
This revealed that by choosing Brighton over Barcelona, a group of 10 hen or stag do travellers from London could drastically reduce their carbon emissions. This is the equivalent of one person in the group going vegan for 2.2 years or stopping driving a car for 1.4 years.
WHY WING IT?
Today Hubbub is launching a new campaign called #WhyWingIt, building on this insight. The campaign will initially focus on hen and stag dos, inspiring groups to choose an amazing staycation and offering tips for how to travel over ground rather than flying by default.We’ll be showcasing hidden gems in the UK and working with some hen and stag groups to share their stories.
Travelling over ground can be a great way to take the hassle out of travelling, enjoy the ride and get more quality time with your friends and family So #WhyWingIt when the UK has loads of amazing destinations that are closer than you might think.
Want to find out more about the impact of flying and its history and future? Listen to our podcast, What On Earth.
SHARE AND WIN
Have you been on an incredible UK hen or stag and travelled on solid ground?
Win one of these great prizes worth £100 by sharing your best pictures on Instagram.
- Milk luxury photobook/ photos vouchers to hold the best pictures from your hen, stag or Wedding
- Canopy and Stars voucher towards a unique glamping accommodation with your nearest and dearest
- Paintballing adventure activities nationwide with your best mates
Read how to enter & T&Cs below.We’ll then select three lucky winners with the best pics.
COLLABORATE WITH US
If you think you’d like to support Hubbub’s campaign, please get in touch at hello@hubbub.org.uk
You can find all our resources for how businesses can part in campaigns here, and resources for individuals or groups to use themselves here.