Sustainable Travel Emerges as a Key Priority for Travelers
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Booking.com recently released its 2024 Sustainable Travel Report, drawing on insights from a survey of over 31,000 travelers across 34 countries and territories. The report sheds light on the perspectives, priorities, and impact of sustainable travel on consumer decisions.
According to the findings, a significant 96% of Vietnamese travelers believe sustainable travel is important to them. However, about a quarter of Vietnamese surveyed do not consider it a decisive factor when planning or booking trips. The study also reveals that 40% of travelers express fatigue from hearing about climate change issues.
Looking ahead, a majority of Vietnamese travelers indicate a desire to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months. Over half feel guilty when choosing travel options that negatively impact the environment, while one in five make sustainable choices based on a sense of doing the right thing.
Beyond Vietnam, travelers globally are equally grappling with the complexities of sustainable travel choices.
Is Lack of Awareness a Barrier?
When faced with the realities of sustainable travel, travelers’ positive intentions may be overshadowed by practical considerations. Several factors, measured for the first time in this year’s report, reveal a concerning lack of awareness about the impacts of individual actions on the environment and society.
Close to half of respondents think that environmental damage has already occurred beyond repair and their personal travel choices cannot make a difference.
In fact, 35% do not believe climate change is as serious as it’s often portrayed, and 41% feel less motivated to prioritize sustainability on their valuable vacations.
Feelings of futility are further amplified when travelers recognize that their efforts to make sustainable choices at destinations that do not embrace sustainability practices are rendered ineffective, with 46% finding their individual efforts futile in such contexts.
The report identifies this as a critical moment to galvanize collective action towards ensuring sustainable tourism remains a top priority in travel. Booking.com’s Country Manager for Vietnam believes that joint commitment and cross-industry collaboration can drive meaningful change.
What Can the Travel Industry Do?
The study indicates that an overwhelming 80% of Vietnamese travelers wish to leave destinations better than they found them, and close to half believe they have a positive impact on local social issues related to tourism.
43% of respondents cite community involvement and collaboration as key to addressing sustainability challenges. Meanwhile, over half see travel service providers as holding effective solutions for environmental concerns.
Therefore, encouraging collective action towards sustainable practices in travel remains paramount, and the industry can empower travelers to prioritize sustainable travel habits by ensuring consistency in standards and certified labels.
The report also reveals that 54% of travelers find accommodations with sustainability labels more appealing. Consistency in certification standards is crucial, as 71% agree that all travel websites should adopt a universal sustainability certification scheme.
However, the 54% of travelers who are interested and want to learn more about why an accommodation is labeled sustainable has decreased by 22% year-over-year. This suggests an urgent need for a simplified and transparent approach to information, enabling travelers to make informed choices that align with their priorities.
| Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 31,550 respondents across 34 countries and territories (1,000 from USA, 1,000 from Canada, 1,000 from Mexico, 1,000 from Colombia, 1,000 from Brazil, 1,000 from Argentina, 1,000 from Australia, 500 from New Zealand, 1,000 from Spain, 1,000 from Italy, 1,000 from France, 500 from Switzerland, 1,000 from UK, 1,000 from Ireland, 1,000 from Germany, 1,000 from Netherlands, 1,000 from Belgium, 1,000 from Denmark, 1,000 from Sweden, 950 from Croatia, 500 from UAE, 1,000 from India, 1,000 from China, 800 from Hong Kong, 1,000 from Thailand, 1,000 from Singapore, 1,000 from Taiwan, 1,000 from Vietnam, 1,000 from Indonesia, 1,000 from Philippines, 1,000 from South Korea, 1,000 from Japan, 1,000 from South Africa and 300 from Kenya). Respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, have traveled at least once in the past 12 months, be planning at least one trip for 2024, and either the primary decision-maker or involved in the decision-making of their travel. The survey was taken online in February 2024. |
