2020 Will See More Conscious Travelers Keen to Explore Destinations Undergoing Recovery Efforts Following Major Setbacks

As we head into 2020, the importance of traveling sustainably is a conversation that will only continue to grow. New research from Booking.com reveals that the year ahead will see travelers looking at the bigger picture when it comes to sustainable travel.

With over one third (36%) of global travelers planning to make concerted efforts in the year ahead to select locations where they not only have the chance to visit a wonderful destination, but also where their visit will ultimately help local communities and economies that are still recovering from a major setback, visiting destinations that have previously been affected by a natural disaster is very much on the radar.

Travelers are in support of rebuilding tourism, even if it means making small sacrifices. Almost half (48%) said they would be willing to accept some discomfort, such as longer travel times or closure of tourist sites, if they knew that visiting would benefit rebuilding efforts.

Tourism plays a vital role in helping with a destination’s recovery efforts, as it is a key driver for economic growth, employment and development. Although, timing is important and travelers should stay up-to-date on the government’s travel advice (both of their nationality and destination they are planning to travel to) and only make travel arrangements when it is deemed safe to travel.

As we enter not only a new year, but also a new decade and sustainable travel becomes more of a norm than an active choice, travelers can do their part no matter where they are. According to travelers, some of the ways to help leave less of an impact include:

• Creating a full itinerary that avoids the major tourist traps – 62%
• Knowing the best places to look for accommodation outside of the city center – 60%
• Looking for lesser known attractions, to help avoid the crowds – 59%
• Swapping your original travel destination with a lesser-known but similar alternative in the same country – 51%

Eco-friendly accommodation is still a strong component of sustainable travel, as over half (56%) of global travelers think it’s important to consider sustainable accommodation when traveling. Booking.com makes it easier for everyone to experience the world and offers more than 29 million listings across over 153,000 destinations; giving travelers the choice to select unique places to stay in destinations that are off the well trodden tourist path.

To delve deeper into Booking.com’s travel trends for 2020, visit http://TravelPredictions2020.com.

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Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of adults who have taken a trip in the last 12 months/plan to take a trip in the next 12 months. In total 22,000 respondents were polled (including 1,000 each from Australia, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, China, Brazil, India, US, UK, Russia, Indonesia, Colombia and South Korea; and 500 each from New Zealand, Thailand, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Hong Kong, Croatia, Taiwan, Mexico, Netherlands, Sweden, Singapore and Israel). Respondents completed an online survey between 9th August to 28th August 2019.