Booking.com Launches the Next Phase of its Sustainability Program for Accommodation Partners
With increased industry focus on third-party certifications, the newly devised program is designed to accelerate progress and certification attainment among accommodation partners
AMSTERDAM - Booking.com, one of the world’s leading digital travel platforms, has announced the latest evolution of the partner-focused facet of its sustainability program, putting the needs of accommodations front and center by testing an improved pathway to third-party certification.
Sustainability now plays a core role in business operations across the travel and tourism industry, and substantiating these efforts through third-party certifications is increasingly critical. At the same time, global travelers are seeking new levels of clarity and consistency with almost half (45%)* sharing that coming across an accommodation labeled as more sustainable is increasingly appealing and more than two-thirds (67%)* agreeing that all travel booking sites should use the same sustainable certifications or labels. However, certifications are not yet widespread across global accommodation supply; 63%** of Booking.com partners surveyed shared they would like to know which third-party certifications are available in their region, while 75%** would like to know which practices to implement. The new program sets out to address these questions.
From today, via their individual Booking.com extranet, partners will be able to access tailored insights that guide them towards third-party certifications best suited to their property’s profile, needs and operations. During the early testing phase, a subset of third-party certifications will feature, with sustainability software provider BeCause making it easier for both accommodation partners and certification providers to share their data at scale. In parallel, partners will also receive targeted tips and resources related to the actions they could start taking across categories including water, food waste, energy, plastic and local community. The guidance is generated based on their responses to a detailed survey that gathers the accommodation's characteristics, location and existing sustainability efforts and credentials.
With almost a quarter (24%)** of partners sharing concerns that the cost of third-party certification is too high, Booking.com will also provide information on organizations that provide funding, discounts on certifications and reduced fees for ongoing subscription. In addition, partners will maintain access to educational resources, from a wide variety of materials on the company’s Partner Hub, including a handbook on more sustainable hospitality, to online courses developed in partnership with UN Tourism.
Accommodations that have achieved a third-party certification will continue to have that information clearly displayed on Booking.com which, coupled with the ability to filter searches accordingly, further helps travelers easily identify corresponding properties. To date, more than 18.000 accommodations have a third-party certification displayed on the platform.
A resounding 83%* of travelers surveyed shared that traveling more sustainably matters to them. Our commitment to support accommodations in their individual journeys to operate more sustainably and in turn, make it easier for travelers to make those more mindful choices, remains unwavering. While many of our partners are already making great strides in their journey, for others it can be challenging knowing where to start or what certification may be best suited to their needs. In empowering partners to make more informed decisions and accelerate their progress, our ultimate goal is to help bridge the gap between the number of accommodations with third-party certifications and the breadth of choice available in the market. Danielle D’Silva, Director of Sustainability at Booking.com
Booking.com’s approach continues to be developed in consultation with independent experts and organizations such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), UN Tourism and Travalyst, with industry-wide collaboration playing a vital role in how best to address some of the challenges travelers face in making more sustainable choices and the operational barriers faced by accommodations and beyond. As the program rolls out, Booking.com will further explore the most impactful role it can play in this space, maintaining its support of its partners, customers and the broader industry as they mutually strive to make more sustainable travel the way everyone can experience the world.
*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 the UK, 1,000 from Ireland, 1,000 from Germany, 1,000 from the 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 ). In order to participate in this survey, respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, had to have traveled at least once in the past 12 months and must be planning to travel in 2024, and be either the primary decision maker or involved in the decision making of their travel. The survey was taken online and took place in February 2024.
**Research conducted by Booking.com with a sample of 5,340 accommodation providers from 18 countries (USA, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Portugal, Austria, Croatia, Greece, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, Indonesia, China, Australia, Thailand and India). The survey was taken online in January / February 2024.
About Booking.com
Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com's mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. By investing in the technology that helps take the friction out of travel, Booking.com's marketplace seamlessly connects millions of travelers with memorable experiences every day. For more information, follow @bookingcom on social media or visit globalnews.booking.com. For more information, follow @bookingcom on social media or visit globalnews.booking.com.
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