Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report 2024
What it says and what it means for STRs
Booking.com has recently published its 2024 Sustainable Travel Report, drawing on feedback from more than 31,000 travellers in 34 countries and territories. This comprehensive research dives into current consumer attitudes, priorities, and the factors shaping sustainable travel today. Just as we did in 2023, EnviroRental eagerly analyses these emerging trends to provide targeted insights and recommendations for the short-term rental industry. Let’s go!
The Positives and Possibilities
- A substantial majority of travellers (75%) express a desire to travel more sustainably over the next 12 months, driven by a belief that it is the right thing to do (32%). This strong inclination towards sustainable travel is further reflected in the growing number of travellers (71%) who aim to leave destinations better than they found them, an increase from the previous year.
- Travellers experience personal benefits from sustainable travel, with 62% feeling they are their best selves when they engage in environmentally friendly practices. Moreover, 67% report that witnessing sustainable practices while travelling inspires them to adopt similar behaviours in their daily lives.
For the STRs, Your guests are ready, are you?
- Aligning values for business growth: These insights reveal a powerful shift: your future guests aren’t just looking for a place to stay; they’re looking for partners in their journey towards more sustainability. This is a golden opportunity for your vacation rental business to connect on a deeper level. By aligning your services with their conscious values, you’re a) earning business and b) building relationships, and by doing so, build your business (direct bookings, referrals, etc.). Read more….The benefits of sustainability for your business
- Personal commitment to guest sustainability: Show your guests that their commitment to sustainability is as personal to you as it is to them. Take meaningful steps that they will notice and appreciate. Start small with actionable efforts that resonate with them during and beyond their stay. Like stocking biodegradable kitchen sponges from ‘Composty’ or eco-friendly toilet paper by ‘Who Gives a Crap!’ Your readiness to support their eco-conscious journey can set your business apart and create memorable, personalised, and meaningful experiences. Read more….Making sustainability actionable with EnviroRental Marketplace
The Challenges and Concerns
- While awareness of sustainable travel is high, with 83% acknowledging its importance, nearly half (45%) do not prioritise it when planning or booking trips. This indicates a gap between awareness and actionable priorities. Additionally, 34% of travellers feel that efforts toward sustainability in destinations that lack such practices are futile, highlighting the need for global standards and local implementation.
- Attitudinal barriers also persist, with one-third of travellers (33%) believing that environmental damage is irreversible and that their choices won’t make a difference. Additionally, 25% are sceptical about the severity of climate change, and 28% are tired of hearing about it, which influences their travel decisions. These attitudes underscore the need for effective communication and educational strategies to combat scepticism and fatigue regarding climate change discussions.
For STRs, Are we being too preachy while communicating sustainability?
- Making sustainability choice the default one: A multidimensional approach can be employed here. First, it is crucial to make sustainability actionable and easily integrated into guests’ travel decisions. One way to do this is by embedding sustainable choices as the default ones in the booking processes. For instance, electric vehicles (EVs) could be set as the default option for guest pickups and transfers, with the flexibility for them to choose otherwise if they prefer. Read more….Steps towards more sustainable consumption
- Educating guests on the impact of their choices: Next, it is vital to educate guests about the tangible impact of their sustainable choices. This can involve showcasing success stories from the local area and demonstrating how similar actions have led to better environmental outcomes. An inspiring example could be displaying a before-and-after picture of a beach cleanup drive participated in by previous guests. Such imagery can be prominently displayed in common areas of the rental, included in welcome packets, or shared in digital communications, inspiring guests to engage in similar activities during their stay.
- Making it easy for the guests to act: Communication about sustainability should be crafted to be personal and relatable, avoiding overly technical jargon. Instead, focus on how their specific actions can lead to meaningful change, making the sustainability message feel relevant and motivating rather than preachy or overwhelming. So, instead of…
Dear Guests, we urge you to consider utilising green transportation options during your stay, as it significantly reduces your carbon emissions footprint. Engaging in such practices aligns with Scope 3 category emissions reductions, cutting down CO2 emissions by 2.2 metric tons per year. This is pivotal in mitigating the accelerated effects of climate change.
How about something like…
Dear Guests, by opting for public transport or hopping on one of our bikes, you’re making a huge effort. Each trip to the city centre saves about 20 kilograms of carbon—kind of like planting four trees! It all adds up to our yearly goal of cutting down 5,000 kilograms of emissions. So, enjoy your adventures and feel great knowing you’re helping keep our community vibrant and our air clean. We are proud of you!
- Engaging guests in sustainability feedback: Feeling stuck on how to improve your sustainability efforts? Consider engaging your guests in quick, structured feedback sessions, either online or in person. These discussions can help you gauge whether guests have noticed and appreciated your sustainability initiatives. If your efforts aren’t as visible as they could be, use these sessions to gather insights on how to make your practices more evident and impactful. This direct dialogue helps tailor your approaches and makes guests feel involved and valued in your sustainability mission. The successes and failures of industry pioneers who have embraced sustainability can be very enlightening. We recommend reviewing our extensive collection of case studies, which will help you draw inspiration and map out your own route toward sustainable practices. Read more….Explore how pioneers are advancing sustainability
The Roles and Responsibilities
- The call for sustainability leadership in travel grows louder, with travellers placing substantial responsibility on the shoulders of governments and travel service providers. 44% of travellers insist that governments must address the economic repercussions of tourism, while 40% demand government-led public education on tourism’s impacts.
- It’s also noteworthy that 43% recognise and expect their travel service providers to play a key role in addressing environmental issues. The message is clear, and the mandate is urgent: STR hosts and property managers, your travellers are expecting you to step forward and lead the charge towards sustainability.
- Almost half of the travellers (45%) find accommodations with sustainable labels appealing, and there is a significant demand for uniformity in certification standards, with 67% advocating for consistent, sustainable certifications across booking platforms.
For STRs, Prepare for the legal realm to take centre stage
- Get involved with the local government: If you’re running a short-term rental and looking to boost your sustainability efforts, it’s a great idea to start building connections with local government bodies. For example, try collaborating with the local government to host events or workshops on sustainability practices. This can give your business some solid backing and might even land you some positive media coverage, which is always good for business.
- Sustainability certifications are here to stay: As for certifications, the landscape is pretty wide open in our industry. More and more booking platforms are starting to look for them when they list rentals under the ‘sustainability’ filter. Getting certified by STR-focused accreditation bodies like Sustonica or QALIA could be a smart move. These groups don’t just hand out labels; they guide you on how to improve and then market your sustainability efforts effectively and genuinely. It’s a win-win: you get to validate your sustainability efforts and stand out in the market, while appealing to travellers who are keen on supporting more responsible businesses. Read more….Clear and green: avoiding greenwashing in STR businesses
- Take full advantage of EnviroRental’s free sustainability resources for STRs: Not to worry if you are thinking of or have just started your sustainability journey as an STR business. It’s evident that travellers are increasingly looking for short-term rentals with serious sustainability strategies in place, and that’s why we’re here to help. EnviroRental has compiled a treasure trove of resources to help you meaningfully support your short-term rental business. From webinars and case studies to data analysis and podcasts, we’ve got something for everyone in the STR space. A particularly valuable resource is our Free Sustainability Roadmap, which provides clear steps to start or improve your sustainability journey.
Educate, empower, elevate!
Education is a key factor in bridging the divide between your guests who are positively inclined towards sustainability and those who actively engage in sustainable behaviours during their stays and thereafter.
Danielle D’Silva, the Head of Sustainability at Booking.com, conveys this point by expressing,“While many travellers have retained a sense of optimism and a desire to have a more positive impact, there is a critical opportunity for the industry to accelerate efforts to make those choices easier for everyone. It’s important that we continue ensuring that more sustainable options are not only readily available, but also easy to trust and understand. That’s where we believe further education, clear and consistent standards, and credible third-party certification of legitimate, sustainable practices across the travel experience can really help.”
Our sole mission at EnviroRental is to empower the short-term rental industry through education, inspiration, and influence—all completely free of charge! This ensures that everyone can access top-tier tools and resources to confidently navigate their sustainability journey. If you haven’t already, we highly encourage signing up for EnviroRental today to receive the latest, regular updates and insights on sustainability in our STR industry. Sign up for free resources!
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