There has been a lot of talk about sustainable tourism in recent years. And in general, Argentine travelers tend to be environmentally conscious when choosing a destination or a hotel.
In fact, the 88% of the Argentine travel community considers sustainable travel to be importantaccording to data from Booking.com, which conducted research collecting information from more than 31,000 travelers from 34 countries and territories, including Argentina.
The survey explored the latest consumer attitudes, priorities and influences related to sustainable travel.
This annual report revealed that environmental desire and awareness is perceived in travelers, but also There is a feeling of satiety worldwidebeing driven by the ongoing challenges they face when making more sustainable decisions when traveling.
The most recent study showed that more than half (52%) of the Argentine travel community feels that traveling more sustainably is important. However, It is not one of your priorities when planning or booking a trip, and even 16% of people surveyed commented that they feel tired of hearing about climate change so frequently.
In that sense, Booking.com highlighted that “it is more pertinent than ever to have the opportunity to take collective action to ensure progress, to prioritize maintaining a more sustainable travel industry“.
Positive intentions and new challenges
Looking ahead, the hope is that the 81% of people surveyed stated that they want to travel in a more sustainable way in the next 12 months, considering that, on the one hand, they believe it is the right thing to do (34%), and on the other, they feel guilty when they make an unsustainable decision (34%).
For the first time, new areas of research were addressed this year, revealing that some travelers are not aware of the importance of the impact they cause, as 23% feel that the damage has already been done, that it is irreversible and that your decisions when traveling will not change anything. What’s more, 13% do not believe climate change is as severe as it is said to be.
Additionally, some people feel that their time traveling is too valuable to add the issue of sustainability to their decisions (14%).
Not seeing sustainability in action could also be contributing to that. feeling of helplessness: 24% of the travel community believes that being more sustainable in a destination where such practices are not implemented does not make sense. This sentiment is much stronger in the travel communities of Thailand (56%), India (53%) and the United Arab Emirates (52%).
Shared responsibility
The role in which the travel community feels it can help address the negative impacts of travel also denotes its expectations about collaboration.
Biking or walking are healthy options for the planet and people. Photo Booking.com68% of people said they want to leave the destinations they visited in better condition than they were when they arrived (an increase of 64% compared to last year), while this year’s complementary research highlighted that 50% think that they can counteract the social impacts of travel.
On the other hand, 55% believe that governments have the greatest potential to counteract economic effects, and 40% believe that travel service providers have the tools to address environmental factors. Additionally, 47% of the travel community believes that governments have a responsibility to educate the population about the impacts of travel and tourism.
When it comes to finding accommodation that has a “more sustainable” label, it is more attractive to almost half of the travel community (42%).
For 68% of people, the certification standards To identify travel booking sites, it is necessary that they use the same sustainability labels or certifications.
Sustainable hope
Despite the increase in frustrations, travelers who mentioned making more conscious decisions also believe that more sustainable travel experiences leave added value to their trips.
Electric cars, a trend that is growing in the world. Photo Booking.com58% of people who travel admitted that they feel like a better version of themselves when they travel more sustainably, returning home with that positive energy.
Of all travelers who adopted sustainable behaviors during their trips: 96% took tours or activities seeking local and cultural experiences; 90% did shopping in small stores and entrepreneurship; and 94% planned their trips so they could walking, cycling or taking public transport. Everyone saw it as an improvement in his travels.
“While many travelers have maintained an optimistic sentiment and a desire to have a more positive impact, there is a critical opportunity in the industry to accelerate efforts so that all people can make those options more easily,” commented Danielle D’Silva, director of Sustainability at Booking.com.
He added: “It is important that we continue to ensure not only that the most sustainable options are already in place, but that they are also more reliable and easier to understand. That’s where we think increased education, clear and consistent standards, and third-party certifications of legitimate sustainable practices that are credible across the entire travel experience can really help.”
“While signs of consumer frustration should be one of our concerns, it is also a reminder for us to continue our focus on work where we know we can make a difference not only to the traveling community, but to local communities as well. and destinations,” he said.