Research Reveals 'Pandemic Effect' Could Tip Sustainable Travel Into Impactful Action
New research from Booking.com, containing insights gathered from more than 29,000 respondents across 30 countries, suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be a tipping point for global travelers to commit to sustainable travel. In fact, 72% of travelers surveyed indicated that they believe people have to act now to save the planet for future generations.
Key findings:
83% of global travelers think sustainable travel is vital, with 61% saying the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future.
Almost half (49%) still believe that in 2021, there aren’t enough sustainable travel options available, with 53% admitting they get annoyed if somewhere they are staying stops them from being sustainable, for example by not providing recycling facilities.
69% will go as far as avoiding popular destinations and attractions to ensure they aren’t contributing to overcrowding challenges and helping do their part to disperse the positive benefits of travel to less frequently visited destinations and communities.
While 3 out of 4 accommodation providers say they have implemented at least some kind of sustainability practices at their property, only one-third actively communicate about their efforts proactively to potential guests.
To help boost the visibility of more sustainable stay options, Booking.com is now showing third-party sustainability certifications and details on a range of 30+ impactful practices in place at hundreds of thousands of properties around the world.
Accommodation operators can update their sustainability information on Booking.com, which includes 32 impactful practices across five key categories (waste, energy and greenhouse gases, water, supporting local communities and protecting nature), and can be viewed on the ‘Sustainability Initiatives’ banner on each property page.
