Sustainable

Travel Report 2021

At Booking.com, it’s our mission
to make it easier for everyone toexperience the world and, as aleader in travel, we believe that wehave an important responsibility tomake sustainable choices easier,both for travelers and our partners.

29,000travelers

30
countries

We are at a pivotal moment in travel.
Awareness of the impact of our trips is
at an all-time high. As we slowly start toreturn to exploring the world again, we
have a unique opportunity to transform
our growing sustainable intentions into
impactful actions. If done with respect
for the world’s local communities,
environments and biodiversity, travel canbroaden horizons, reduce barriers andbring people closer together.

Now in its sixth year, Booking.com’s annual
Sustainable Travel Report, which gathers insightsfrom over 29,000 travelers across 30 countries,
indicates that the events of 2020 could be a
crucial tipping point for travelers to truly commit
to their own sustainable journey, both at homeand during their trips. The findings of this year’s
research also expose the barriers and gaps thatstill remain, despite the actions many travelers
are already taking to help protect the planet for
future generations and contribute to the longterm socio-economic health and happiness of
local communities.

Finally, the report explores how the industry
is continuing to evolve and some of thechallenges that remain. While the availabilityof more sustainable options continues togrow, with more and more travel providers
implementing impactful practices into theiroperations, more needs to be done. There iswork to do to inspire and encourage more
players in the industry to do the same, as wellas to surface this information in a transparent
and meaningful way for consumers, so that
more sustainable travel becomes an easierchoice for everyone.

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Making
Sustainable
Choices Easier
Marianne
GybelsDirector of Sustainability
at Booking.com

The findings from Booking.com’s annual
sustainable travel report are even more poignant
this year, as the travel industry looks to rebuild after
the Coronavirus pandemic. Our research uncovers
how the travel hiatus has opened travelers’ eyesto the impact, both positive and negative, that
their trips can have on local ecosystems andcommunities around the world.

At Booking.com we believe travelis a force for good, but it has to bedone in the right way to ensure weare protecting the planet for future
generations.
Sustainability is a guiding principle for everything
we do at Booking.com, from how we think about
the environmental and socio-economic impactof the travel we facilitate via our platform, to how
we engage with local communities through our
employee volunteering programs and othercorporate initiatives, as well as the impact of ourown business operations.
The more sustainable practices we can help ourpartners to identify and implement, the more we
can experiment with how best to highlight thisinformation to customers and ultimately makesustainability a transparent and easily identifiable
part of their travel decision-making process. Smallchanges such as eliminating single-use plastics orswitching to energy-efficient LED light bulbs mightseem insignificant in isolation, but multiplied bymillions of travelers and properties around theworld, these small steps all start to add up to amuch bigger potential positive impact.
To that end, we are helping to support ourpartners in their efforts to become moresustainable, providing education and inspiration
to take the next important steps on their journey.
This starts by encouraging them to identify andshare the sustainability practices they alreadyhave in place with us, so that we can make thisinformation transparent and easy for travelers
to discover when they are searching for aproperty on our platform. In addition, we havealso started to display over 30 certifications
officially approved by the Global Sustainable
Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Tourism andthe EU Ecolabel, as well as multiple hotel chain
sustainability programs on Booking.com.
While there is much, much more to be done, weare optimistic about the passion and commitment
we are seeing from all sides. No matter wheretravelers or our accommodation partners might beon their individual sustainability journey, we wantto encourage them to take the next step, so thattogether we can create a truly regenerative andresponsible future for all travel.
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49%of travelers admit that the pandemic
has shifted their attitude to makepositive changes in their everyday
lives.

Travelers who have stated the
pandemic has made them want totravel more sustainably in the future

88%
INDIA
88%
COLOMBIA
84%
CHINA
84%
MEXICO82%
BRAZIL78%
THAILAND
78%
HONG KONG
76%
ARGENTINA
71%
SINGAPORE
70%
68%
TAIWAN
SOUTH KOREA
64%
NEW ZEALAND
61%
ITALY
57%
RUSSIA
57%
SPAIN
56%
AUSTRALIA
51%
CROATIA48%
DENMARK
48%
47%
CANADA
USA
46%
FRANCE
46%
GB
43%
SWEDEN
42%
JAPAN
42%
ISRAEL38%
GERMANY
30%
NETHERLANDS 30%

While most of us can’t wait to get back to
exploring the world again, there are clear
indications that the Coronavirus pandemic may
have influenced our collective commitment todo so in a more mindful way. Based on this year’s
research, we expect to see a rise in travelers
actively searching for more sustainable options
that are compatible with their growing intentions
to be more thoughtful with each trip that they take.

VIETNAMThe Pandemic
Effect61%

of travelers state that the pandemic has made themwant to travel more sustainably in the future.

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The top priorities in travelers’ everyday lives include:

The biggest impact concerns for travelers include:

46%

49%

Excess waste (e.g. single use plastics)

Recycling

42%

Reducing food waste

38%

Walking or cycling short distances toOvercrowding popular sights or destinations

Threats to local wildlife and natural habitats

34%

30%
29%

avoid public transport or cars

33%

CO2 emissions

Avoiding single-use plastic

84%

The momentum to be more mindful in how we live
and travel has been steadily increasing in recent
years. However, a year of limited mobility for virtually
everyone has accelerated our attention and focus on
the challenges and associated opportunities to doso more responsibly, with 72% of travelers believing
we have to act now to save the planet for future
generations.

Sustainability awarenessamong consumers isn’t limited
to environmental impact
alone, but also encompasses
important socio-economic
considerations with respect tolocal communities where traveltakes place:

believe increasing cultural understanding and preservationof cultural heritage is crucial.

76%

want to ensure the economic impact of the industry is
spread equally in all levels of society.

73%
want to have authentic experiences that are representativeof the local culture when they travel.
5Since Booking.com’s annual sustainable travel
report was first released in 2016, travelers’ intent
to stay in a sustainable accommodation has
notably increased, accelerating in 2021 while
travel was largely on hold in most parts of theworld.

0
2016
81

%

2017
2018
2019
2020
2021

74%
73%
68%

%

65

62
%

Barriers to
Make Good on
Sustainable
Intentions
RemainGlobal travelers intend to stay in a sustainableaccommodation, at least once in the upcoming
year:

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However, despite 76% of travelers pledging toseek out accommodation that has reputable
third-party sustainability accreditation, barriers
still remain with 49% of travelers believing there
simply still aren’t enough sustainable travel
options available in 2021.

73%

would be more likely to choose anaccommodation if it has implemented
sustainability practices.

40%

of travelers believe it would be helpful
if travel booking sites used a clear
label so they could easily identify
when an accommodation is moresustainable.

37%

would like to see online travelbooking sites offering a sustainablefilter option.

35%

would like to see travel companies
offering tips on how to adopt better
practices while traveling.

72%

think travel companies
should offer moresustainable choices.

48%

say they find it harder
to make sustainablechoices while onvacation than in theireveryday life.

41%of travelers indicate thatthey don’t know how tofind sustainable travel
options.

33%

view vacations as a
special time where theywant to escape andrelax, without thinking
about sustainability.

32%

report that they don’tknow how to make theirtravel more sustainable.

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Taking Personal
Responsibility
to Travel More
Sustainably
According to the research, intentions to make future
trips more sustainable reveal consumers’ apparent
readiness to take matters into their own hands andtake personal responsibility for their own travel
behavior. This suggests that travelers are starting tothink more holistically about their impact and thedifferent tweaks and shifts they deem necessary. Thisfurther illuminates that making more sustainableaccommodation choices is just the beginning.

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 thiswhenever possible.

On a quest to cut down waste andsingle-use items during their vacations,travelers are vying to make moreconsiderate choices.

84%

want to reduce
general waste on
future trips.

8People who want to reduce generalwaste while on future trips

M

UK

EXICO

D

75%

SSIA

74%

M
EN AR

72%

G

KO R E A

CHINA

ERMAN

81%

87%

82%

84%

84%

RU

Y

ANCE

DEN

K

81%

C

FR

A N A DA

S

85%

85%

USA

WE

PAN
JA

73%
IWAN
TA

86%

S PA I N

H

V

79%

IET NA M

88%

NG KON

79%

83%

91%

83%

LIA

74%

A

ZEAL

IL

91%
ND

80%

EW

AZ

A

AUSTRA

BR

IN

90%

DI

THA

IL

D

N

A

A

AN

ENTI NRGGAP OR

E

N

SI

89%

91%

L
AE

ISR

88%

O

Y
AL

I

CR

O MB

IT

OL

A

C

IA
AT

O

G

87%

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Sustainable
Travel Intentions
vs Impactful
Actions
The latest insights also reveal that it’s not justgood intentions for future trips that are top ofmind for travelers - many report already actively
taking important steps to have a more positive
impact during their recent travel.

When thinking about their trips over the last 12 months:

45%

made a conscious decision to turn off
their air conditioning/heater in theiraccommodation when they weren’t there.

43%

took their own reusable water bottle,
rather than buying bottled water while onvacation.

40%

reused the same towel to reduce water
usage.

42%

shopped at small,independent stores tosupport the local economy
during their travels.

10People who shopped at small, independent stores during their trips over the past 12 months to support the local economy

ARGENTINAMEXICOVIETNAMRUSSIASPAIN

ITALY
CANADACROATIAFRANCEINDIANEW ZEALAND
COLOMBIA
BRAZILTHAILANDUK

USA
GERMANYSWEDENISRAEL

AUSTRALIA
DENMARKSINGAPORE
HONG-KONG
TAIWAN

SOUTH KOREA
CHINA

JAPAN

20%

37%
36%
36%
35%
35%
35%
34%
32%
32%
29%
26%
23%

48%
47%
46%
46%
43%
43%
42%
42%
42%

54%
54%

62%
61%
59%

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This year’s report also shows amarked increase since last yearof global travelers becoming
more in tune with the actions
they believe accommodation
providers should be taking tohelp protect the world and local
communities:

35%

32%

27%

believe that accommodations
should offer guests the option to
opt out of daily room cleaning to
reduce water usage.

of travelers would prefer only
being offered reusable plates
and cutlery for all meals,
including room service.

Compared with 30% in 2020

Compared with 28% in 2020

Compared with 22% in 2020

Compared with 23% in 2020

believe that having electricity
controlled by keycards and/or
sensors to reduce energy use
for air conditioning or heating
should be provided.

consider offering guests
information about local
ecosystems, heritage, culture, as
well as visitor etiquette as a stepin the right direction.

27%

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In Searchof MoreSustainable
Stays
In addition to the behaviors that travelers say they are willing to changeor have already changed themselves, they believe that there is muchthat the places they stay can also do to make being more sustainableeasier for them. In fact, 53% get annoyed if somewhere they are staying
stops them from being sustainable, by for example, not offering
recycling facilities or relying on single-use plastics.
Additional research from Booking.com uncovers that accommodation
partners and travelers do appear to be largely on the same pagein seeing sustainability as a priority, as 82%* of Booking.com’s
accommodation partners view sustainability in the hospitality industry
as important, mirroring the 83% of travelers who believe sustainable
travel is a vital issue.
However, although 3 out of 4* accommodation partners say thatthey have implemented some kind of sustainable practices at theirproperty, under a third (31%*) actively communicate about their efforts
proactively to potential guests, with this mostly happening at the timeof check-in (59%*).

The top reasons accommodation partners are notcommunicating their sustainability efforts to guests
is because:

33%

32%

28%

don’t believe
they do enoughthat is worth
communicating
to guests.

don’t thinktheir guests areinterested.

are concernedthat their guests
may find thecommunication
patronizing.

These reservations from partners highlight thatsignificant challenges remain in the industry to
make sustainability information easier to accessfor consumers at earlier stages of the booking andtravel decision-making process, so they can actually
put more of their sustainable travel intentions into
action.

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As part of our mission to make it easier for everyone
to experience the world and as a leader in travel, atBooking.com we are taking important steps to makesustainable travel choices easier, both for accommodation
providers and travelers. That’s why we are currently rollingout a program for properties that will support them in taking
the next steps to become more sustainable, no matter where
they might be on that journey.
As part of this program, we are sharing guidance, insights
and best practices with partners via various educational
opportunities, including sustainability handbooks anddedicated content on our Partner Hub.

Closing theGap, Step by
Step

In connection, on Booking.com we are currently displaying
over 30 certifications officially approved by the Global
Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Tourism and the
EU Ecolabel, as well as multiple hotel chain sustainability
programs. We are sourcing this information directly from thecertification bodies and displaying it on the property pagesof partners who hold one of these established third-party
certifications.
Alongside this, we are also encouraging our accommodation
partners to update their sustainability information, which
includes 32 impactful practices across five key categories:
waste, energy and greenhouse gases, water, supporting
local communities and protecting nature. From this global
roll-out, hundreds of thousands of properties have now
shared their sustainability information with Booking.com,
which can be viewed on the ‘Sustainability initiatives’ banneron each of their property pages. While it’s still early days,
this is an important first step in providing more sustainability
information in a transparent way to consumers, ultimately
making it easier for them to start making more sustainable
travel choices.
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Methodology

Research commissioned by Booking.com andindependently conducted among a sample of 29,349
respondents across 30 countries and territories(1,000 from USA, 1,007 from Canada, 1,000 from
Mexico, 964 from Colombia, 1,000 from Brazil, 1,000
from Argentina, 999 from Australia, 941 from New
Zealand, 1,001 from Spain, 1,000 from Italy, 1,000
from France, 1,000 from UK, 1,000 from Germany,
1,003 from Netherlands, 986 from Denmark, 1,000
from Sweden, 997 from Croatia, 1,005 from Russia,
1,003 from Israel, 1,000 from India, 1,000 from China,
1,005 from Hong Kong, 968 from Thailand, 963 fromSingapore, 1,000 from Taiwan, 1,005 from Vietnam,
1,000 from South Korea, 1,000 from Japan, 1,002
from South Africa, 500 from Kenya ). In order toparticipate in this survey, respondents had to be 18
years of age or older, had to have traveled at least
once in the past 12 months and must be planningto travel in 2021, and be either the primary decision
maker or involved in the decision making of theirtravel. The survey was taken online and took place inMarch 2021.
*Research conducted by Booking.com with arepresentative sample of 3,390 accommodation
providers from Australia, Austria, Brazil, China,
Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain,
Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States.
The survey was taken online and took place in April
2021.

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