When it comes to travel trends, one thing is sure - sustainable travel has become a significant factor in deciding where and how to explore bright new horizons.
The research conducted by Booking.com in March 2020 has found that 69% of Americans consider sustainability deeply important when exploring the world.
Moreover, 53% of U.S. travellers said they will consider sustainability and travel emissions when deciding their future destinations and travel arrangements.
The research by Booking.com gathered a massive amount of comprehensive data about the sustainability priorities for travellers across 22 countries.
During their survey, Booking.com's researchers questioned 20,432 respondents 18 years old or older, specifically those who have traveled at least once in the recent 12 months.
Also, people surveyed had to have had a part in making decisions about their travel arrangements and destinations.
Looking at the valuable insights of Booking's survey, it's safe to say that travelers of the U.S. have the dedication to saving the planet for future generations than ever before.
And that includes travelling mindfully. Hence the long-awaited and much-needed shift from carefree explorations to sustainable travel we are proud to observe and participate in.
So let's look at the essential findings Booking.com has gathered while researching the needs and wants of a modern American traveller regarding sustainable travel.
Americans are adventurous, but apart from having pure fun while on vacations, travellers aren't that carefree about their carbon footprint anymore.
Instead, more and more U.S. travellers are in sustainability travel awareness mode and highly observant of the impact their vacations have on carbon offsetting efforts globally.
Hence, Booking's research has proven these changes in priorities and perspectives. In fact, they resulted in 45% of travellers in the U.S. making conscious, eco-friendly travel choices.
Moreover, 62% of them state they will choose eco-friendly accommodations, which is a huge step up from the previous 34% of travellers.
As a matter of fact, 35% of respondents in America chose sustainable accommodation to reduce their carbon footprint and cut their travel emissions.
Additionally, today's travellers care about overcrowding reduction efforts, found the research by Booking.
So much so that they are ready to visit less-frequented locations instead of flocking to famous touristy hot spots.
In fact, approximately one in three Americans said they would choose more sustainable destinations and ways to travel if companies showed them how to follow these goals.
For example, people are interested to know about carbon offsetting and destinations with sustainable tourism.
This interest includes the answers to their transportation dilemmas and suggestions regarding carbon footprint.
In fact, the Booking research shows that 15% of travellers are ready to change how they get to their destinations, including opting for alternative modes of transportation, such as choosing a train instead of driving their car for more extended travels.
No less importantly, U.S. travellers are more than into plastic-free travelling, choosing accommodations willing to go the extra mile to cut down on single-use plastic.
The latter is undoubtedly among the critical ones for travellers choosing sustainable travel. In fact, U.S. travellers instantly think of reducing plastic and recycling in tourism.
Booking's research found that 21% of Americans associate sustainable travel with waste reduction.
Moreover, 37% said they use their own reusable water bottles instead of buying unsustainable single-use plastic ones.
But that said, it's time we set aside the accolades and think about the following.
Booking's research also found that while they undoubtedly want to, many U.S. travellers aren't sure how to find those sustainable destinations and travel arrangements.
In fact, 42% of them don't know where to look for sustainable travelling choices, while a bit more than half (51%) of Americans don't believe there are ways to do vacations in a greener, more eco-friendly way.
And while the latter might sound a bit discouraging, that specific finding suggests the following steps organisations and travel companies need to make.
In the first place, this is as much an opportunity as it is a requirement. People want to know about sustainable travel choices, but they lack information.
So, more education is needed to convince 39% of U.S. travellers to choose green travelling instead of leaving a massive carbon footprint vacationing.
Regarding the latter, Booking.com proposed establishing a universal eco-labelling system to serve as both honour and an inspiration.
To prove that the idea would be a sure-fire success, the research by Booking.com also includes that 58% of people would find the "eco-friendly" label reassuring when choosing their accommodation.
