Booking.com’s latest Sustainable Travel Report affirms a growing demand for sustainable travel and reveals how the ‘pandemic effect’ could translate the travellers’ intend to travel more sustainably into impactful action.

For the sixth consecutive year, Booking.com released its Sustainable Travel Report which gives some very interesting insights into the demand for sustainable travel. The results prove that sustainable tourism is not a niche market anymore, but that travellers demand that the accommodation they choose take actions to protect the environment and support the local community.

Some interesting results from the report at a glimpse:

61 % of travellers state that the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future
81% of travellers intend to stay in a sustainable accommodation, at least once in the upcoming year, compared to 73% in 2019 and 65% in 2017
76% of travellers pledge to seek out accommodation that has reputable third-party sustainability accreditation
73% of travellers would be more likely to choose an accommodation if it has implemented sustainability practices

Travellers are furthermore willing to change their behaviour while staying in a tourist accommodation to reduce their environmental footprint:

83% want to reduce their energy consumption (e.g. by turning off air conditioning and lights in their room when they are not in it, for example)
79% want to use more environmentally friendly modes of transport (i.e. walking, cycling or public transport over taxis or rental cars)
76% are keen to reduce water usage (e.g. by reusing towels or opting out of daily room cleaning)
69% are committed to reducing the carbon footprint of their trip or pay to offset this whenever possible

Fortunately, these are not only good intentions. The report also reveals that many travellers already take action to reduce their environmental footprint when travelling. In the past 12 months:

45% made a conscious decision to turn off their air conditioning/heater in their accommodation when they weren’t there in the past
43% took their own reusable water bottle, rather than buying bottled water while on vacation
40% reused the same towel to reduce water usage
42% shopped at small, independent stores to support the local economy during their travels.

In addition, travellers place clear demand on the accommodation sector to help them lower their environmental footprint and make responsible choices in the destination:

35% believe that having electricity controlled by keycards and/or sensors to reduce energy use for air conditioning or heating should be provided
32% consider offering guests information about local ecosystems, heritage, culture, as well as visitor etiquette as a step in the right direction
27% believe that accommodations should offer guests the option to opt out of daily room cleaning to reduce water usage
27%of travellers would prefer only being offered reusable plates and cutlery for all meals, including room service

However, the survey also reveals that travellers struggle with turning their intentions into actions:

72% think travel companies should offer more sustainable choices
48% say they find it harder to make sustainable choices while on vacation than in their everyday life
41% of travellers indicate that they don’t know how to find sustainable travel options

Eco-certifications like Green Key can help to close this gap and answer the travellers’ demand for sustainable tourism. They provide a framework for making a business more sustainable and help travellers find those businesses and providers that really make a difference.

To read the full report, visit Booking.com