Dear Wubookers,
2021 will be the year of sustainable tourism? If in the previous article we told you what are the new travel needs of people according to Airbnb, now we want to talk about a new trend: green or responsible tourism. How could it be used to attract new travellers who are increasingly sensitive to eco-sustainable issues? We thought of giving you 3 ideas to put into practice straight away. But, first things firsty.

Sustainable tourism simple definition

What is sustainable tourism? It’s the kind of tourism that takes account of the environmental, economic and social impact of travel, looking at both the needs of customers and those of host communities and the territory. With this “philosophy” and, following some simple tricks, such as: pay attention to the transports, food, accommodation and the activities to be carried out; the holiday becomes an eco-sustainable journey.

The trend of sustainable tourism: here’s what Booking.com tells us

Already in 2019, the data of the Sustainable Travel Report Booking.com showed the growth of the eco-travel field in the world. A trend that even in the latest research organized by the OTA in 2020 is strengthening.
What does this Booking.com study on sustainable tourism show in 2020?
The answers of the interviewed develop on 3 main strands:

• the choice of a sustainable stay: 73% of users want to stay in an eco-sustainable accommodation. It’s the fourth year that this data is growing, it passed from 62% in 2016 to the current over 70%;
• the search for local experiences: 55% of the interviewed would like the money spent in the chosen destination to go to the local communities and about three quarters (72%) would like to live authentic experiences that represent the local culture;
• the search for options for a plastic-free holiday: more than half (53%) of travellers are willing to reduce the production of waste and recycle plastic while traveling.

How can we respond to these needs? We give you 3 ideas to make your guests live an ecological holiday.

3 ideas to attract green travelers

It takes little to start being an eco-sustainable accommodation.

Offering its customers local experiences. Networking is always a good idea! If you are an Airbnb member you can contact who proposes local experiences in your territory. But not just that. This situation can also be an opportunity to increase your earnings with up-selling. Get in touch with local guides and create ad hoc packages.

Entering into agreements with bike sharing facilities. According to the data of the study published by Booking more than half of travelers (52%) says thay changed their habits in favor of greater sustainability, for example walking or cycling. So why not offer its customers green vehicles to explore an area like the electric bike or e-bike?

Communicating your eco-friendly choices. 62% of travelers say they would feel better if they could stay in eco-friendly accommodation. However, when it comes to find a sustainable property, about three-quarters (72%) states that they are not aware of the existence of ecolabel (or brands that identify services with low environmental impact) for accommodation.

This is why it becomes important to make your green choices known. Highlight it on the site, on Otas, on social media, in the Google SERP. If your accommodation has a blog, you should dedicate more articles to this topic. Now that you know how important it’s to invest in sustainable tourism, optimize your energy and rely on a Booking Engine that makes it easy for your customers to book your accommodation.

Have a free trial with WuBook and we will recommend the most suitable solution for your facility.