With 73% of travellers confirming that sustainable travel is important to them, just under half of all respondents (43%) cited that recent news about climate change has influenced them to make more sustainable travel choices. In fact, 58% of Australian travellers say they would be more likely to choose a sustainable accommodation - whether they were looking for one or not.
In search of more sustainable stays
Awareness and visibility of sustainable stays continues, with 30% of Australian travellers confirming they have seen a sustainable accommodation on an online travel site over the past year and 27% indicating they actively look for information on the sustainability efforts of a property before booking. Of the 37% of Aussie travellers who have actually stayed in a sustainable accommodation over the past year, the reasons for selecting one vary:
· 37% said they chose it to help reduce their impact on the environment
· 28% wanted to have a more locally relevant experience
· 30% believe sustainable properties treat the community better
While 70% of Australian travellers intend to stay in a sustainable property at least once in the coming year, there is still more to do to make more sustainable stay options easier to find for everyone. Nearly a quarter (25%) said they still didn’t know how to find sustainable accommodation. Which further underlines the importance of making this sustainability information transparent and understandable for a broad audience of travellers.
Alternative destinations and timing
There is consensus amongst travellers on wanting to avoid busy and over-visited destinations, with a third (30%) saying that they chose to travel outside of peak season and a quarter (25%) choosing to go to a less popular travel destination over the last 12 months to avoid overcrowding. When thinking about future trips 37% said they’d be willing to exclusively travel outside of peak season to avoid overcrowding, and 60% revealed that they would avoid popular tourist destinations and attractions to ensure a more even dispersal of the impact and benefits of their visit.
Connection to culture and local communities
A regenerative philosophy is influencing decision-making, with 57% of travellers saying they want to leave the places they visit better than when they arrived and two-thirds (63%) wanting to have experiences that are representative of the local culture. One in four (24%) would be willing to pay more for travel activities to ensure they are giving back to local communities.
Tipping point for transportation
Aussie travellers are mindful about how far they travel, how they get there and how they get around once they’re there. Over a quarter (26%) say they chose to travel to a destination closer to home to reduce their carbon footprint, and just under a third (29%) say they feel ashamed to fly because of its impact on the environment. While 65% reveal that they don’t actively look for more sustainable transport options, it still has an impact on booking behaviour and customer satisfaction.
Continuing the journey to more sustainable travel for everyone
With more than 100,000 properties globally now being recognised for their sustainability efforts with a Travel Sustainable badge on Booking.com, the company has also further expanded the number of third-party certifications and labels that automatically qualify accommodations to receive it. In addition to those officially approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Tourism and the EU Ecolabel, this now also includes Green Seal, Nordic Swan Ecolabel, Green Hospitality Ecolabel, Ibex Fairstay, Fair Trade Tourism, LEED and Edge.**
“With the undeniable impact our way of life is having on the environment, and the realities climate change is having on Australia , we are 100% committed to leading the industry in building a more mindful and responsible way of travel,” said Melissa Ellison, Area Manager Australia Booking.com.
“We believe that travel is and should continue to be a powerful source of change, bringing enhanced cultural understanding, socio-economic opportunities for all communities and the ability to rejuvenate and protect our planet long term.”
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