Booking.com has unveiled the 10th edition of its annual sustainability report, shedding light on how travellers are increasingly concerned with the social and environmental effects of travel. The report reveals a major shift, with more than half (53%) of global travellers now mindful of how their travel impacts both local communities and the environment.
This trend is particularly noticeable in the UK, where 93% of British travellers now express a desire to travel more sustainably, a dramatic rise from 32% in 2016. A further 66% of British travellers believe they should leave the places they visit better than they found them, while 72% are eager to see their spending directly benefit the local economy.
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 51% of UK travellers 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 over half (57%) 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 (35%), littering (26%), overcrowding (27%) and rising cost of living (29%).
Despite these concerns, only a small number (14%) 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 (30%), waste management (287%), and environmental conservation (22%) 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 (51%), as well as support local businesses (56%). While this still highlights room for improvement, it does correlate with their own intentions for travel, with 75% seeking authentic experiences representative of local culture.
More mindful habits becoming mainstream
In 2025, travelling more sustainably remains important for most British travellers (80%), and this is reflected in their more conscious decision making).
In 2020, 37% 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 567%. 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 (34%) or visiting alternative destinations to avoid overcrowding (27%).
“To ensure that destinations can continue to be enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike, tourism, infrastructure and innovation need to keep pace with travelers’ good intent.” says Danielle D’Silva, Director of Sustainability at Booking.com. “As a leader in the travel industry, we want to make it easier for both travelers 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 travelers to connect with a more diverse range of local communities and help spread the positive benefits of tourism more broadly.”
