Evidence shows that spending time in nature helps reducing anxiety, improving mental health and well-being, let alone boosting physical health. Nature is good for us; can we be good to nature too? It's no wonder that one recent large-scale survey conducted by Booking.com (2020) identified 'Impact Awakening: The Rise of Responsible Travel' as one of the nine predictions on the future of travel. Half of the global travelers surveyed expressed the desire to travel more sustainably in the future with over two-thirds of respondents expecting more sustainable travel options from suppliers. Demand is (and expectations are) building up and post-pandemic will see a surge in travel with purpose. But do travelers easily have access to all information needed to make wise decisions on sustainable travel and hotels? Where are the gaps in the search and booking stages? And which company manages to fill those gaps well? What are some best practices in showcasing hotel sustainability online?

Booking.com (20 Oct 2020). Smarter, Kinder, Safer: Booking.com Reveals Nine Predictions For The Future of Travel. https://www.booking.com/articles/category/future-of-travel.html.

Celine Vadam
Celine Vadam
Founder & CEO of WE(i) Think

Sustainability is still a subjective concept for most properties, making it difficult to integrate sustainability principles as search engine criteria and drowning in the mass sustainable hotels with limited options to show their added value other than in their description. 

Waste management / water efficiency / energy efficiency / local employment / working with local suppliers / carbon efficiency. How hotels can measure these criteria to allow them to be used by search engines? 

Could sustainability-driven certifications like LEED, EarthCheck, Travelife be used as sustainability search elements?  

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