Indian travellers are more committed to being mindful about the way they travel in future, stated a report. This is mainly driven by the influence COVID pandemic has had. On the World Environment Day, this report highlights the growing awareness among travellers about sustainable travel.
According to Booking.com, 88 per cent of the respondent said that the pandemic has influenced them to want to travel more sustainably in the future and 56 per cent of Indian travellers admitting that the pandemic has shifted their attitude to make positive changes in their everyday lives, with recycling (30 per cent) and reducing food waste (33 per cent) being the top priorities at home.
This survey is an outcome of the research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 29,349 respondents across 30 countries and territories. Meanwhile, in India, 1,000 respondents participated in the survey.
Ritu Mehrotra, Regional Manager, South Asia at Booking.com said, “Over the six years we have been conducting this research, it is been inspiring to see awareness of the importance of sustainable travel consistently grow, both with our customers and now with our partners, too. We are constantly working towards supporting our partners in their efforts to become more sustainable, by encouraging them to identify, implement and share their sustainability practices with us.”
In its sixth year now, the new research released today by Booking.com suggests that the pandemic has been the tipping point for travellers to finally commit to their own sustainable journey, with 75 per cent of Indian travellers believing people have to act now to save the planet for future generations.
The survey also stated that around three fourth respondents stated that they want to have authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture when they travel and at the same time respect local communities. About 91 per cent believe increasing cultural understanding and preservation of cultural heritage is crucial and 89 per cent want to ensure the economic impact of the industry is spread equally in all levels of society.
Furthermore, 72 per cent will go as far as avoiding popular destinations and attractions to ensure they aren’t contributing to overcrowding challenges and helping do their part to disperse the positive benefits of travel to less frequently visited destinations and communities.
