97% of Indians want to travel sustainably in 2018
- Research conducted by Booking.com reveals that awareness of eco-friendly accommodation options is growing expeditiously
- 88% Indian travelers show a willingness to absorb extra cost to ensure they are traveling more sustainably in 2018
To celebrate Earth Day on 22 April, Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay, has released the findings from its latest global ‘Sustainable Travel Report’ which states that awareness of eco-friendly accommodation options is growing, with Indian travelers seeking to book more of greener stays than ever. The research highlights that 97% of the Indian travelers would want to travel sustainably in 2018 with 88% of them willing to pay an extra premium to ensure the same. The study also reveals that while 73% of the current Indian travelers always or often opt for sustainable travel, around 32% are willing to pay atleast 15% more to ensure low impact on the environment as possible.
According to Vikas Bhola, Head for the Indian Sub-Continent, Booking.com, “Sustainable travel’ is a subjective term that has different connotations for different people across countries. Lack of information and perceived higher costs are two of the main barriers posing a significant obstacle to sustainable travel especially among Indian travelers. As they increasingly look to explore and experience the world in a sustainable way, we continue to look at ways that we can help make it even easier for them to do that, whether by highlighting eco-friendly properties or enabling people to filter their search results on Booking.com. This research reaffirms that sustainable travel is within reach for all of us, which is encouraging as we together strive to make a positive impact for a more sustainable future."
It’s good to go green
Proving that sustainability measures don’t need to come at an inconvenience, many Indian travelers indicated they engage in sustainable travel behavior because the activity itself adds a positive vacation experience to their trip.
|
Sustainable vacation activities that add to vacation enjoyment |
Percentage of Indian travelers who do this |
|
Buying locally made products instead of mass-produced tourist souvenirs |
69% |
|
Being adventurous and using public transport instead of a taxi |
62% |
|
Going out of the way to find a local restaurant that only uses local ingredients |
61% |
|
Skipping tourist highlights in favor of less busy and often more rewarding sights |
48% |
|
Opting for a unique place to stay that also a certified eco-accommodation over a traditional hotel |
58% |
Eco-inspiration
When it comes to what inspires people to travel more sustainably, it seems that travel itself is the biggest motivator.
|
The factors that inspire sustainable travel |
% Indian travelers who found this inspiring |
|
Being impressed by natural sights during their own travels (e.g. coral reefs, rain forest) |
75% |
|
Noticing a visible impact of tourism at the destinations they have visited |
68% |
|
Seeing the positive effect that sustainable tourism can have on the local people |
72% |
|
Seeing the unsustainable effects of tourism in their home country |
57% |
|
Feeling guilty about the impact their vacation has had on the environment |
51% |
Overcoming eco-barriers
While perceived extra cost remains the top barrier for Indians wanting to travel more sustainably, 88% of travelers would be willing to spend at least 5% more on their travel to ensure it was as low impact on the environment as possible. Indian travelers claim to be the most willing, with 32% declaring that they would pay atleast 15% or more, followed by Brazilians (21%) and Chinese (18%).
|
Top Indian obstacles to traveling more sustainably |
Percentage of Indian travelers who do this |
|
Costs – not being able to afford the extra expenditure |
37% |
|
Information / lack of certification – not knowing how to make my travel more sustainable |
45% |
|
Time – travelling sustainably would be too time consuming |
38% |
|
Destination – travelling sustainably would limit travel to less appealing destinations |
34% |
|
Luxury / comfort – sustainable travel does not meet the level of luxury / comfort accustomed to |
34% |
- ENDS -
About Booking.comEstablished in 1996 in Amsterdam, Booking.com B.V. has grown from a small Dutch start-up to one of the largest travel e-commerce companies in the world. Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com now employs more than 17,000 employees in 198 offices in 70 countries worldwide.
With a mission to empower people to experience the world, Booking.com invests in digital technology that helps take the friction out of travel. At Booking.com, we connect travelers with the world’s largest selection of incredible places to stay, including everything from apartments, vacation homes, and family-run B&Bs to 5-star luxury resorts, tree houses and even igloos. The Booking.com website and mobile apps are available in 43 languages, offer over 27 million total reported listings and cover more than 130,000 destinations in 227 countries and territories worldwide.