The State of Sustainable Travel in 2024

23.04.2024 - 16:17 / travelpulse.com / Lacey Pfalz

As we recognize the importance of protecting our planet’s natural resources and bounty on Earth Day once more, we can also recognize the travel industry’s role in protecting those resources and limiting its negative impact on the world around us. 

The sustainable travel market in the U.S. alone is expected to grow from $66.22 billion in 2023 to $116.46 billion in 2029, making it a fast-growing economic segment of the travel industry. Hotel corporations, tour operators, cruise lines and airlines are all working towards net-zero carbon emissions reduction targets and advancing technologies to save resources. 

Booking.com surveyed over 31,000 travelers across 34 countries worldwide, asking their opinions about sustainability and travel. 

Eighty-two percent of American travelers agreed that sustainable travel was important. Among Americans, 74 percent desire to travel more responsibly over the next year, with 42 percent reporting they would feel guilty making less sustainable travel decisions. 

Yet 32 percent of travelers are growing weary of taking sustainability into consideration. Twenty-six percent of travelers consider travel to be too important of an experience to let sustainability be a major factor in their decisions. 

The key is now taking the burden off travelers choosing these decisions, and having the industry as a whole improve in sustainability. The majority of American travelers believe that governments and travel service providers hold the key towards improving the industry as a whole.

Sixty-five percent of travelers agree that travel booking sites should have the same sustainable certifications or labels, to make it easier for them, so they don’t need to spend hours researching whether an accommodation or an experience is actually as green as it says.

Responsible travel practices for eco-friendly adventures. (Photo Credit: Premreuthai / Adobe Stock)

“While many travelers have retained a sense of optimism and a desire to have a more positive impact, there is a critical opportunity for the industry to accelerate efforts to make those choices easier for everyone,” said Danielle D’Silva, Head of Sustainability at Booking.com. “It’s important that we continue ensuring that more sustainable options are not only readily available, but also easy to trust and understand.” 

“That’s where we believe further education, clear and consistent standards and credible third-party certification of legitimate sustainable practices across the travel experience can really help. While the signals of consumer frustration should be a concern, it’s also a reminder to maintain our focus on the impactful work we know can make a difference not only for travelers, but for communities and destinations everywhere.”

The data shows