Flywheel of sustainability in the accommodation sector
Accommodations are well-positioned to front-run the journey to net zero; people want to travel more sustainably; and online travel agencies connect the dots.
Within the travel industry, the accommodation sector has a huge opportunity to lead in decarbonisation. The collective agreement made through the Glasgow Declaration should see emissions halve by 2030 and achieve net zero by 2050. Booking.com, a signatory of the declaration, has committed to achieving near-zero emissions by 2030 and net zero by 2040.
No two accommodation properties are the same and neither are the emissions reduction opportunities available to them
The end destination is clear, but getting there won’t be easy, and the stakeholder community must recognise the on-the-ground realities for travellers and providers. Customers are concerned about the costs of sustainable travel amid inflation and cost-of-living woes; while the providers — especially SMEs — often lack the knowledge and resources to make the necessary changes.
Hospitality entrepreneurs are still working hard to recover from the impact of the pandemic whilst navigating the day-to-day challenges of running their business. In this context, it’s encouraging to see how many travel and tourism industry players, large and small, are taking active steps towards net zero.
As consumers weigh the environmental impact of their travel choices and hoteliers make capital allocation decisions with sustainability in mind, digital platforms connect the dots and encourage everyone to take action. No two accommodation properties are the same and neither are the emissions reduction opportunities available to them. But, as long as the sector is advancing on its journey to net zero, every step counts.
Matching demand with supply, platforms like Booking.com can play a role in initiating the virtuous cycle. In cooperation with industry and civil society, the European Commission co-created green transition pathways for the tourism sector. And this framework opened up space for everyone to contribute.
Accommodations: on a journey to net-zero
Within the wider travel and tourism sector, accommodations account for roughly 10% of the total annual emissions. This is a relatively small fraction, but when compared to other subsectors, such as aviation, the lodging industry has a distinct advantage: it doesn’t need to wait for major technological breakthroughs to push forward with the decarbonisation measures. In many respects, accommodations are well-placed to front-run the path to net zero.
people want to travel more sustainably but also want to keep costs down
The Travel Sustainable programme has a role to play here, as a way for providers to gain recognition for their efforts on an internationally-used and trusted platform.
Cost is one of the biggest obstacles to the wholesale adoption of sustainable practices. Many accommodation providers — especially SMEs — simply do not have the capital nor the operational capacity to go from zero to hero in an instant to gain a sustainability certification. According to a 2021 report by EY Parthenon, most of such measures are net-profitable over a 15-year timespan; but even then, it will take time and effort for hospitality entrepreneurs to implement them. Many establishments are still recovering from the long-tail effects of the global pandemic and dealing with new pressures such as energy costs.
Travellers: a tale of two wallets
The Sustainable Travel Report 2023 gathers insights from over 33,000 travellers across 35 countries and territories, offering a unique insight into the mind of the modern traveller. Over three-quarters (76%) of survey participants told us that they want to travel more sustainably over the next 12 months. Still, the same proportion said that the global energy crisis and the rising cost of living are impacting their spending. Hence, a dilemma: people want to travel more sustainably but also want to keep costs down.
For some travellers, these two are mutually exclusive. For example, almost half (49%) of travellers believe that sustainable travel options are too expensive (up 11% from our 2022 data) and that they have to choose between sustainability and affordability. And yet, now that travel is rebounding and climate change is top-of-mind for many, 43% of respondents said they would be willing to pay more for certified sustainable experiences.
At Booking.com, we believe that travel is a force for good, and we are committed to making it easier for everyone, including the future generations, to experience the world.
At Booking.com, we believe that integrating sustainability into the tourism sector is non negotiable. Customers want travel options with reduced negative impact on communities and ecosystems, and it’s our goal to empower holidaymakers to find and book them.
This year, our Travel Sustainable programme was recognised among the winners of Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas Awards. The millions of people who use online travel platforms need to be able to quickly identify more sustainable options. Travel Sustainable levels, which show where an accommodation is on its sustainability journey, are displayed on the property page, do exactly that. 44% of people say that they don’t know where to find sustainable options when booking a holiday. Our Travel Sustainable programme offers a way for travellers to find what they are looking for and, at the same time, recognise properties’ efforts to advance on their pathways of sustainability.
We are proud and eager to contribute to a more sustainable hospitality industry.
Enabling sustainable choices
The EU Commission’s draft directives on empowering consumers for the green transition and on green claims seek to instil trust into environmental labels and preempt greenwashing. At the same time, it is crucial to create an enabling regulatory framework that promotes investment in sustainability, innovation and transparency.
We are proud and eager to contribute to a more sustainable hospitality industry. At Booking.com, we believe that travel is a force for good, and we are committed to making it easier for everyone, including the future generations, to experience the world. We recognise that, as an intermediary of the important relationship between traveller and accommodation provider, we have a responsibility to enable more sustainable choices, help accommodations invest in cutting-edge practices, and propel the tourism sector towards net zero.
