Booking: 95% of Indian travelers adopt sustainable tourism practices

A recent report by Booking.com has revealed that while 95% of Indian travellers value sustainable travel, over half believe that irreversible harm has already been done to the environment. The ‘Sustainable Travel Report 2024’ surveyed over 31,000 travellers, including 1,000 from India, and found that 62% of Indian travellers would feel guilty if their travel choices were less sustainable.

Despite positive intentions, the report highlighted a growing disillusionment towards making sustainable travel choices. A quarter of Indian travellers acknowledged the importance of sustainability but did not prioritize it when planning trips. Additionally, more than half of respondents believed that their individual choices would not impact the irreversible damage already done.

Interestingly, 42% of Indian travellers believe they can positively impact the social aspects of travel, while an equal percentage see the government and travel service providers as key players in addressing economic and environmental challenges. However, 39% of respondents doubted the severity of climate change, and 47% prioritized their travel time over sustainability.

Santosh Kumar, Booking.com’s country manager for India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Indonesia, emphasized the importance of collaboration in making sustainable travel choices. He stated, “With many travellers believing the damage already done is irreversible and the choices they make will not change that, we believe that working together across the industry, simple changes when taken together can start to make a big difference.” Kumar added that Booking.com is committed to providing a platform that makes it easier for everyone to take the next steps towards a more sustainable future for travel.