Indian travellers find value in Sustainable Travel

Indian travellers right now are searching for aware experiences that enable them to journey and uncover new locations whereas being acutely aware of the surroundings. According to Booking.com’s Sustainable Travel Report 2024, travelling evokes 75% of Indian travellers to be extra sustainable in their on a regular basis lives and 93% wish to guarantee that journeys they’re taking on the subsequent 12 months are extra aware and environmentally acutely aware.

Balancing journey with environmental accountability

The want to journey sustainably is obvious amongst Indian travellers as 76% of Indian travellers really feel the environmental impacts of journey are necessary to them. At the identical time, they’re additionally cognizant that their journey has a broader influence on the surroundings in addition to the locations they go to. 73% of Indian travellers are most definitely to recognise the influence of their journey on the pure surroundings adopted by native economies (62%) and native communities (50%). Travellers are additionally locations that complement their want to help native companies, embrace completely different cultures and supply alternatives for strolling, utilizing bicycles or public transport for journey.

With World Environment Day across the nook, Booking.com shares an inventory of locations throughout India with a noteworthy variety of lodging with a reputable third-party certification**. From quaint coastal cities to cyclable cities, there’s a vacation spot for each sort of traveller that may assist them have a extra optimistic influence with their subsequent journey, from check-in and past.

Top locations with impartial third-party sustainability certification in India*

Recognising the rising want for aware journey experiences, listed below are a number of the locations throughout India with the best variety of properties holding impartial third-party sustainability certification (not ranked).

1. Bandipur
2. Coonoor
3. Kozhikode
4. Candolim
5. Agra
6. Jodhpur
7. Mumbai
8. Hyderabad
9. Vadodara
10. Chennai

Silver linings to clouds of doubt round sustainability

New areas of analysis in this 12 months’s report have discovered that Indian travellers who’re adopting and making extra aware journey decisions really feel that extra sustainable journey experiences are including value to their journeys. Additionally, they consider that the potential for countering environmental impacts of journey/tourism comes from journey companies like airways and inns (42%) in addition to travellers (41%) and main websites and apps (38%). This acts as a silver lining that may help travellers in balancing the journey of exploration whereas nonetheless making accountable decisions.

• The Best Version:74% of Indian travellers recognise that they’re the very best model of themselves once they journey extra sustainably and consequently take dwelling this positivity.
• Feeling Inspired:75% really feel that witnessing sustainable practices whereas travelling evokes them to be extra sustainable in their on a regular basis life.
• Experiences: Local and Authentic:95% of Indians who did excursions or actions for genuine, native and cultural experiences. Such native and cultural experiences assist foster connections and take ahead cultural alternate.
• Shopping Choices: 94% of travellers shopped at small and impartial shops which helps them expertise the distinctive choices obtainable inside the locality, together with with the ability to help the livelihoods of small-scale entrepreneurs.
• Conscious Travel Planning: 93%of Indian travellers deliberate their journeys in order that they may stroll, bike or take public transport permitting them to immerse themselves in the native expertise utterly. It additionally permits slowing down and taking in the tradition, whereas with the ability to minimise the environmental influence. Additionally, 72% of Indians additionally felt entry to nature added value when staying at lodging with sustainable practices.

According to Santosh Kumar, Country Manager, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Indonesia at Booking.com: “Today for Indian travellers, sustainable practices not only enhance their travel experience but also inspire them to adopt similar habits in their daily lives. There is a desire to have a positive impact, with travellers more forthcoming in exploring activities that are driven by sustainability, whether it is indulging in cultural experiences or exploring local markets. Through collective efforts and a shared vision for sustainable tourism, we at Booking.com aim to make it easier to experience the world in a more mindful and responsible way.”