Study: Traveler interest in sustainability up, but info lacks

In the last year, the number of consumers expressing interest in traveling more sustainably is up 10 percentage points, but many also say they don’t know how to find sustainable accommodations or only review a property’s sustainability efforts if the information is easily accessible.

The data comes from a survey commissioned by Booking.com in February of more than 30,000 people from 32 countries and territories who had traveled at least once in the past 12 months and who plan to travel in 2022. Details are published in the brand's Sustainable Travel Report 2022.

Seventy-one percent of global respondents say they want to travel more sustainably in the next year, up from 61% in a similar survey Booking.com conducted in April 2021.

Even more (81%) say sustainable travel is important to them, with half saying recent news about climate change is prompting them to make more sustainable travel choices.

But one stumbling block for some travelers is an inability to easily find information about properties and destinations that are prioritizing sustainability. 

More than half (54%) of respondents say they have not stayed in a sustainable accommodation in the past year, and about a third of those (31%) say they didn’t know those types of properties existed and 29% say they did not know how to find a sustainable property.

The findings also emphasize the need for hotels and alternative accommodations to make sustainability information prominent and easily understandable – more than half of respondents (56%) admit they don’t actively search for a property’s sustainability information before they book, but they say if it is easily accessible they would review it.

In November, Booking.com began awarding its “Travel Sustainable” badge to properties that have met specified sustainability thresholds developed in partnership with the Travalyst Coalition and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council and properties that have already received certifications from other organizations, such as Green Tourism, EU Ecolabel, Green Seal, Fair Trade Tourism, LEED and others. 

The label appears on property pages and in listings on the search results page. A “Travel Sustainable properties” filter is also on the site to make it easy for users to find these properties, which now number more than 100,000 globally.

Destinations

The survey data also highlights opportunities for destinations to proactively and easily display sustainability information. 

Forty percent of respondents would be willing to “exclusively travel outside of peak season” to avoid overcrowding, and two-thirds (64%) say they would avoid popular destinations and attractions to help disperse the impact and benefits of their visit more evenly.

But here again – a lack of information may be hindering travelers’ ability to act on those desires.

Forty-two percent of respondents say they struggle to find appealing destinations that are less crowded, and 34% feel “it’s not possible” to find sustainable travel options in cities or other popular tourist destinations.

And, despite a majority (66%) expressing a desire to have experiences that “are representative of local culture” and 25% willing to pay more for activities that give back to local communities, more than one-third (34%) say they don’t know how or where to find these types of activities and tours.

Transportation

When it comes to booking transportation for trips, 40% of respondents say they actively look for sustainability information.

Nearly a quarter (23%) chose to travel to a destination closer to home to reduce their carbon footprint and 20% chose to travel by train instead of car for longer distances. Twenty-two percent of respondents say they researched public transportation and/or options to rent a bicycle in their destination. 

Meanwhile, Booking.com itself says it remained carbon-neutral in its operations in 2021 and transitioned to 100% renewable electricity toward the end of year. The company’s Climate Action Plan, released in March, has targets including a 95% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions by the end of 2030, a 50% reduction in scope 3 emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2040.

“With increased pressure on our natural resources and the undeniable impact our way of life is having on the  environment, we are 100% committed to leading the industry in charting a more mindful and responsible course for the future of travel,” says Glenn Fogel, CEO of Booking.com.

“We have ambitious goals for what we want to achieve, but together with our partners across the industry and the passion of our innovative employees, we can continue to make it easier for everyone to experience the world in a more mindful and responsible way.

"We believe that travel is and should remain a powerful force for good, bringing enhanced cultural understanding, socio-economic opportunities for countless communities and the potential to help rejuvenate and protect our planet for the long term.”