50% of tourists want sustainable holidays despite higher costs: Booking.com

As many as 50% of travellers say they do not mind paying more to have a more sustainable holiday, according to one of the world’s largest online travel agencies.

Danielle D’Silva, the Head of Sustainability at Booking.com said on Tuesday that people are coming around to the thinking that environmentally conscious travelling is a good thing.

“We know that there are some barriers they’re facing. So, while they have intent, there’s also something getting in their way and that’s the costs, or the perception of costs that is. Do they feel that sustainable options are too expensive and it’s also the idea that there is too few options for them to choose from,” she told Euronews.

“So, we have 50% of our travellers telling us that the sustainable options are too expensive. Interestingly there is also 50% of our travellers that are telling us that they’re willing to pay more for a sustainably certified experience or accommodation.”

A Booking.com survey found that tourists want to travel in a more sustainable way. In 2023, three-quarters of respondents said they want to go on holiday with a lower carbon footprint, but they encounter obstacles in this process.

And the Destination Europe summit in the Belgian capital, where D’Silva was speaking, discussed exactly this.

The aim was for professionals in the sector and politicians to discuss the challenges for an industry still trying to recover from the pandemic and soaring inflation. 

Eduardo Santander, the executive director of the European Travel Commission echoed the same comments as D’Silva that there is a growing demand from travellers of sustainable tourism.

“People are looking for real experiences and we see that tourism is changing in a way that’s becoming almost a social need. People need a holiday to escape from their life and so on,” Santander told Euronews.

“But we also want people to understand that tourism comes with a responsibility towards local communities, entrepreneurs, but also towards yourself that you want to do something which is not only good for yourself but also good for the environment, for society and for people around you”.