Travelers willing to pay extra for green holidays

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - Travelers from Korea, China, Germany and India are willing to pay more for holidays in Asia that are environmentally friendly, a travel survey showed.

The survey by Pacific Asia Travel Association, and Visa International Asia Pacific, showed that more than half of the 2,000 people polled from these nations would pay 10 percent more for green and cultural vacations.

Pacific Asia Travel Association is the biggest coalition of travel and tourism firms in the Asia Pacific region.

"German tourists felt most strongly that traveling to different destinations had helped them appreciate other cultures and that they were willing to pay extra," James Murray, a Visa executive vice-president, said in a statement on Thursday.

Experts have said that global warming may destroy beach or skiing spots in Asia as warmer weather reduces the number of skiing days, while rising sea levels submerge low-lying regions.

Environmentally friendly holidays include flying with airlines that produce the lowest carbon emissions, Murray said.

The survey, which polled more than 5,000 people from 10 countries including Japan, Canada, Sweden, Australia, the United States and Britain, also found that 52 percent of respondents picked Asia as their next holiday stop, up 9 percent from 2006.

Thailand came in as the top holiday destination despite its political unrest, according to the survey.