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Global economic uncertainty continues to impact many aspects of everyday life, including consumer decisions about sustainable travel.
While 76 percent of travelers say they want to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months, a similar proportion say the global energy crisis and rising cost of living are affecting their travel spending plans.
That’s according to a new report from booking.com, which the company describes as its most extensive sustainable travel research to date. The platform has collected insights from over 33,000 travelers in 35 countries and territories.
The data shows that nearly half of respondents (49 percent) believe that more sustainable travel options are currently too expensive.
“As inflation continues to rise, nearly half of travelers are stuck in the mindset of having to make a choice between sustainability and spending money,” the report said. “For these respondents, sustainability and travel may seem less urgent when they are worried about bills and the energy crisis.”
However, it is not all bad news. 43 percent of travelers say they are willing to pay more for travel options with sustainability certification. What’s more, more and more travelers are incorporating eco-friendly practices from home when they travel.
This includes 67 percent of travelers who say they turn off their air conditioning when not in their room (a significant increase from 29 percent in 2022). Additionally, 60 percent say they use the same towel repeatedly, an increase from 2022 levels. In this case, the previous figure was only 25 percent.
Still, the booking.com analysis says a key takeaway from the report is the dilemma faced, which feels people are “being forced to be more careful about cutting costs and making sustainable travel choices.”
The report highlights some encouraging trends. (Photo credit: smshoot/iStock / Getty Images Plus)
“At a time of general global uncertainty, traveling more sustainably continues to be top of mind for travelers, with three-quarters (74 percent) believing they need to act now and make more sustainable choices to save the planet for future generations,” the report said. “News continues to be a key influence driver for 53 percent. The recent climate change news agenda has encouraged them to be more sustainable, but it also speaks to the challenges facing people to be more careful when. Where and how they travel.”
Almost half of respondents (49 percent) expect the environment to worsen over the next six months. And similarly, 64 percent believe the cost of living will get worse. All of this leaves people unsure of what to prioritize as they work to reconcile what is important to them between the demands of everyday life.
Additional highlights from the report include:
- As more and more travelers feel the pinch, they’re looking for more sustainable travel options rich in rewards—making informed choices and highlighting the trade-off between saving money and the need for incentives.
- Nearly half (49 percent) want rebates and economic incentives to choose environmentally friendly options (a 12 percent increase from 2022).
- 42 percent are encouraged to travel more sustainably with rewards points, making more sustainable choices that can be used for free perks or discounts on online travel booking sites.
Barriers to change
Cost is not the only barrier to sustainable travel, the report says. Travelers also report a lack of information and options. “From limited information to a lack of options, the barriers to traveling more sustainably are more evident than ever, with some changes over the past 12 months,” the report said.
More than half (51 percent) of travelers believe there are not enough sustainable travel options, and 74 percent want travel companies to offer more sustainable travel choices (up from 66 percent in 2022).
And despite their good intentions, 44 percent of travelers say they don’t know where to find more sustainable options. For example, 75 percent want authentic experiences that represent the local culture, but conversely, 40 percent don’t know how and where to find these tours and activities to ensure they are offered to the local community.
Demand for sustainable travel is increasing. (Photo via Horstgerlach/iStock/Getty Images Plus)
Sustainable travel micro-habits in action
Preliminary data aside, Booking.com says it is clear that there is indeed a great demand among users for solutions on the sustainable travel front. For example, four out of five travelers, or 80 percent, confirmed that traveling more sustainably is important to them. So that’s good news. What’s more, they say, travelers are “turning purpose into action” (good news here, too). Consumers are doing just that by taking proactive small steps at home and while traveling to help the planet create a more sustainable future.
“Encouragingly, today 68 percent carry reusable shopping bags, 64 percent recycle trash and 58 percent take their own reusable water bottle – and last year saw a significant shift in travelers taking everyday habits on vacation.” The report stated. Here are some more highlights on this front
- More than three-quarters (77 percent) say they spend money in accommodation without electricity or appliances.
- Almost half (45 percent) now recycle their waste when they travel.
- When it comes to transportation, 43 percent plan their trips so that they can walk, bike, or take public transportation.
- 43 percent will travel off-peak to avoid congestion – up 10 percent from 2022.
- There is also consensus among travelers to adopt a ‘buy local’ mantra on holiday, with 43 per cent favoring small and independent shops.
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