Eco-travel in Mind for 2025 remains at the heart and mind of today’s emerging travel product consumers. New data from Booking.com’s annual sustainable travel research sheds light on the complex attitudes and behaviors surrounding sustainable travel. The study, which gather insights from over 31,000 travelers across 34 countries and territories, highlights the importance of sustainability to a majority of travelers, but also reveals challenges and contradictory beliefs that hinder progress in the industry.
According to the research, 45% of respondents consider traveling more sustainably to be important. However, eco-travel is not a primary consideration for nearly half of these travelers when planning or booking their trips. In fact, one-third (33%) of respondents believe that the damage causes by travel is irreversible and that their individual choices cannot make a difference. Additionally, 25% of travelers do not perceive climate change as severe as it is often portray.
These findings emphasize the need for increase collaboration between governments, travel service providers, and consumers to address the environmental and economic impacts of travel. With 44% of respondents believing that governments hold the most potential for countering the economic effects of travel, and 43% thinking that travel service providers are key to mitigating environmental factors, it is clear that a collective effort is required to combat the emerging sense of powerlessness among consumers.
While the research confirms that 83% of travelers consider eco-travel important, it also reveals a growing weariness among them. Almost half of respondents (45%) view sustainable travel as important but not a top priority, and 28% report feeling tires of constant discussions about climate change. This weariness underscores the urgency for collective action in order to maintain the momentum towards a more sustainable travel industry.
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Despite these challenges, the study also highlights positive intentions among travelers. A significant 75% of global travelers express a desire to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months, and 43% admit feeling guilty when they make less sustainable travel choices. Among those who aspire to travel more sustainably, 32% do so because they believe it is the right thing to do.
However, the study also uncovers a sense of disillusionment that may hinder progress towards sustainable travel choices. A third of respondents (33%) believe that the damage caused by travel is already irreversible, and a quarter (25%) doubt the severity of climate change. Furthermore, 28% of travelers feel that sustainability is not a priority when making decisions about their precious travel time. The lack of visible sustainability efforts at destinations also contributes to a sense of powerlessness, with 34% of travelers considering sustainable practices pointless in destinations that do not prioritize them.
The study also highlights the role of collaboration in addressing the negative impacts of travel. A notable 71% of travelers express a desire to leave the places they visit in a better condition than they found them, while 45% believe they themselves have the potential to counteract the social impacts of travel. On the other hand, 44% believe that governments hold the key to addressing the economic effects of travel, and 43% look to travel service providers for solutions to environmental factors. Additionally, 40% of travelers believe that governments should take responsibility for educating people about the impacts of travel and tourism.
Weather
The study also reveals the importance of support and clear communication for consumers. Nearly half of travelers (45%) find accommodations labeled as more sustainable more appealing, and 67% believe that all travel booking sites should use the same sustainable certifications or labels. However, there has been a decrease in the number of travelers interested in learning more about the reasons behind such certifications, indicating a need for simpler and clearer communication that facilitates decision-making.
Despite the challenges and frustrations, travelers who adopt more sustainable behaviors find value in their experiences. The study shows that 62% of travelers feel they are the best version of themselves when they travel sustainably, and 67% are inspired to adopt sustainable practices in their everyday lives when they witness sustainable practices while traveling. Activities such as authentic cultural experiences, shopping at local stores, and using eco-friendly transportation are seen as enhancements by the majority of these travelers.
Danielle D’Silva, Head of Sustainability at Booking.com, acknowledges the importance of addressing consumer frustrations and maintaining a focus on impactful work.
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“While many travelers 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,” said Danielle D’Silva, Head of Sustainability at Booking.com. “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. While the signals of consumer frustration should be a concern, it’s also a reminder to maintain our focus on the impactful work we know can make a difference not only for travelers, but for communities and destinations everywhere,” she says.
The Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDS-Index) is an index score that measures how sustainable global travel destinations are based on a series of criteria, such as environmental performance and sustainable development goals. This year alone, Helsinki in Finland recorded the highest score, with a GDS-Index of 92.43. In fact, seven out of the 15 leading destinations in the ranking were cities in Nordic countries.
Where to Go for Eco-travel in Mind for 2025 Adventures
According to travel advocate, Chris Elliott, five nations come to mind for their focus on eco-travel and eco-friendly tourism. From Finland’s ambitious carbon-negative goals to Switzerland’s “Swisstainable” philosophy, each country offers a noteworthy approach to balancing environmental stewardship with memorable travel experiences.
Eco-travel in Mind for 2025 in Finland
This Scandinavian country doesn’t mince words when it comes to sustainability: It wants to be number one.
Consider Turku, a college town known for its pharmaceutical and shipbuilding industries. Minna Arve, Turku’s mayor, looks to the city’s advanced sustainability program, which is already underway. They include a climate-neutral district heating system and the creation of a Digital Climate Situation Room, where officials collect and analyze information about the city’s energy use and emissions and then share it with citizens. By 2029, Turku aims to be carbon-negative.
Eco-travelers can also see Finland’s commitment to sustainability in Helsinki. It aspires to nothing less than the top ranking in the prestigious Global Destination Sustainability Index (GDSI).
“Every year, we do better,” says Jukka Punamäki, Helsinki’s senior advisor for tourism.
Finland’s pursuit of tourism sustainability is decidedly low-key, as are most things in Scandinavia. But its efforts are being closely watched by other sustainable destinations — and by visitors who care about their environmental impact.
Eco-travel in Mind for 2025 in Germany
Germany has taken sustainability seriously for years, long before it became a tourism buzzword. In 2017, Berlin adopted a plan to develop diverse attractions and promote sustainable tourism. Since then, the city has won awards for its sustainability program and mentored other cities in their sustainability efforts.
Luisa Mentz, the sustainability manager for Visit Berlin, points to the city’s efforts to become green. She says it hasn’t always been easy. The first visitors who were interested in sustainability were people who came to the city for meetings — and it was their travel manager asking. Being green was one item on a checklist. But lately, that has changed.
Some visitors are now looking for a more sustainable vacation experience, and they are performing their due diligence before planning a trip. They’re checking a destination’s green credentials. They’re reviewing their sustainability plans. And they’re planning greener activities, like cycling or urban hikes.
“There are groups out there, and they are very interested in sustainability,” she says. “One of the things we’re trying to do is reach them with our message.”
But Germany’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond the capital. Consider the Biostadt Schmilka, a sustainable resort on the bank of the Elbe river near the Czech border. Sven-Erik Hitze, the resort’s creator, notes that visitors like the idea of a responsible vacation. Organic food tastes better. Guests sleep better in a bed that hasn’t been laminated with harmful chemicals.
Hitze’s next goal is making sustainability more affordable with plans to restore an old farmhouse in Schmilka and turn it into a hostel with inexpensive rooms.
Eco-Travel in Ireland
In 2016, Dublin adopted a sweeping sustainability plan that adds infrastructure with more green spaces to mitigate the effects of climate change. But there, too, people have been thinking about being green for much longer.
You can see it in places like Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel, a luxury hotel in the new Docklands neighborhood, which offers a special sustainable food tour. It’s called Spice Spoons, and it takes visitors on a journey to the seaside village of Howth for a private boat excursion around a historic island. Then offers a behind-the-scenes look at making smoked salmon. The adventure ends with a cooking class at the hotel. The entire tour is sustainability-themed.
“There is an ongoing conversation about sustainability that we’re having here,” says Gareth Mullins, executive chef at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel.
Out in the Irish countryside, sustainability is on people’s minds, too. Case in point: Kilkea Castle Estate & Golf Club, an 844-year-old fortress that underwent a green conversion when it became a hotel.
Adrian Mooney, the property’s sales director, says the hotel has never stopped thinking about how to be green.
“We’re very committed to sustainability,” he says.
Kilkea Castle eliminated single-use plastics, implemented an aggressive recycling program and sourced restaurant meals locally to avoid leaving an oversized carbon footprint. It planted vegetables in its English garden and served them to guests, who wanted an authentic farm-to-table experience. It also launched an effort to harness the nearby river for hydroelectric power and drill for geothermal energy.
Eco-travel in Mind for 2025 in Sweden
How sustainable is Sweden? So sustainable that it’s almost taken for granted. “Sustainability is in our DNA,” says Katarina Thorstensson, who works for Gothenburg & Co, the city’s destination management organization.
It’s been that way for a while. Gothenburg, on Sweden’s west coast, has been at it for more than 20 years. Around 2000, meeting planners began to talk about the need for sustainability. That’s when it started to quietly build a reputation as one of the most sustainable tourism destinations in the world.
How sustainable is it? Gothenburg’s famous museums, from the Museum of Design and Craft to the Gothenburg Museum of Art, offer advanced sustainability programs that are so integrated into their operations that they don’t even stand out.
Volvo, the environmentally forward auto manufacturer, has its headquarters in Gothenburg, and its World of Volvo showcases the company’s many green initiatives. The events space hosts a mix of exhibitions, cultural events and conferences, and features restaurants with Nordic cuisine — all with the highest sustainability goals. Gothenburg is the world’s most sustainable city, according to the GDSI.
The sustainability extends to Stockholm, where museums have advanced programs to promote recycling and green energy. Many restaurants have next-level environmental initiatives to reduce food waste or grow vegetables in hydroponic gardens.
The dynamic nature of being a green destination is that the goalposts keep moving, says Camilla Zedendahl, CEO of the Royal Djurgården Society.
Eco-travel in Switzerland
Switzerland has ambitious tourism sustainability initiatives meant to encourage visitors to experience nature, Swiss culture, local products — and to stay longer. The Swiss even have a word for it: Swisstainable.
Being Swisstainable means conserving resources, using renewable energy and emphasizing locally produced items that leave a small carbon footprint. One of the best ways to see Swisstainability in action is on a specialty tour such as Trafalgar’s Contrasts of Switzerland, a one-week rail tour across the country. There are stops that showcase Switzerland’s next-level commitment to sustainability, including in Zürich, St. Moritz, Zermatt, Geneva and Lucerne.
Zürich is a standout. The city intends to reach net zero for greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. To accomplish this it is reducing energy consumption and switching to environmentally friendly energy sources.
Tourism officials emphasize that their sustainability goes far beyond recycling. It includes a sweeping Zurich Takes Responsibility plan that encourages visitors to use environmentally friendly mass transit and subsidizes hotel partners to pursue sustainability certifications.
“Sustainability is part of everything we do,” says Barbara Walther, a sustainability manager for Zürich Tourism, the city’s tourism destination management organization.
From Finland’s Digital Climate Situation Room to Switzerland’s Swisstainable attractions, it’s clear that the future of travel is greener than a kale smoothie. But unlike that smoothie, these destinations are actually palatable. So maybe Eco-travel in Mind for 2025, it’s OK to indulge in some guilt-free globetrotting. With eco-travel in mind, mother earth will thank you.
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