Global Travellers More Environmentally Conscious than Ever; Report Reveals

Booking.com has released the 10th edition of its annual sustainability report, exploring how consumers view the social and environmental impact of travel.

The research reveals that, for the first time, over half (53%) of global travellers are conscious of travel’s impact on communities as well as the environment. 

This growing awareness is echoed here – with 91% of Irish people saying they want to travel more sustainably, a significant increase from just 42% in 2016. Considerate of their impact, 72% say they want to leave places better than when they arrived, and almost three quarters (72%) say they want their spending to directly benefit the economy of the places they visit.  

The new report, with insights from 32,000 travellers in 34 countries, takes a community centric lens, exploring experiences of how people travel, and how they experience inbound visitors, shedding light on the benefits and challenges of global tourism. And despite 57% of Irish believing tourism has a positive impact on where they live overall, adjustments are still needed so that destinations can grow at a healthy pace and continue to be enjoyed by all. 

Understanding the needs of local residents 

Although just under half (49%) of travellers believe there is the right amount of tourism where they live, as residents they highlight some of the common challenges they face related to tourism including: traffic congestion (38%), littering (30%), overcrowding (24%) and rising cost of living (34%).  

Despite these concerns, only a small number (11%) of travellers believe that capping the number of tourists in their home destination is the answer. Instead they emphasize the need for investment in their communities with improved transportation (43%), waste management (30%), and environmental conservation (23%) identified as the top types of support they’d like to see. 

When it comes to visitor behaviour, more than half of travellers say that the tourists they see at home often or always respect local customs and traditions (57%), as well as support local businesses (56%). While this still highlights room for improvement, it does correlate with their own intentions for travel, with 78% seeking authentic experiences representative of local culture.  

More mindful habits becoming mainstream 

In 2025, travelling more sustainably remains important for most Irish travellers (77%), and this is reflected in their more conscious decision making. 

In 2020, 43% of travellers said they turned off the air conditioning/heater in their accommodation when they weren’t there, and by 2023 this was up to 64%. This year’s research shows that behaviours relating to community and economic impact now sit alongside these environmental choices, travellers are consciously considering ways they can  minimise the impact of the destinations they visit, whether that’s seeking advice on travel at other times of the year (36%) or visiting alternative destinations to avoid overcrowding (33%). 

“To ensure that destinations can continue to be enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike, tourism, infrastructure and innovation need to keep pace with travellers’ good intent,” said Danielle D’Silva, Director of Sustainability at Booking.com. “As a leader in the travel industry, we want to make it easier for both travellers and partners to feel confident that the choices they make are helping contribute positively to the destinations they visit. That includes surfacing hotels and accommodations with reputable third-party sustainability certifications or providing training and guidance to our accommodation partners, as well as how to best engage with local communities or reduce their usage of natural resources.”  

“As we look to the future, we are also optimistic about the potential for AI and other technology to play a role. We ultimately want to make it easier for travellers to connect with a more diverse range of local communities and help spread the positive benefits of tourism more broadly.”