Sustainability has become increasingly important in recent years, which can also be seen looking at tourism activities and ways of travel. Travelers become environmentally conscious and look for ways to minimize their ecological footprint.
Sustainability in tourism consists of three main factors: Social, ecological and economic aspects. The eco-friendly travel movement has led to a variety of initiatives and measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of tourism while supporting local communities. This can be seen when looking at current tourism data, metrics and trends.
- The ecotourism market size is estimated at USD 247 billion, growing with an average annual growth rate of 12,9%.
- 81% of travelers say that sustainability is important to them when traveling.
- 41% of respondents don’t know where to find sustainable offers and 47% would be open to advice for sustainable and budget-friendly travel.
- 62% of survey respondents are willing to pay more for eco-friendly offers.
- 30% of travelers feel some kind of shame about flying to a holiday destination, because of the negative impact airplanes have on the environment.
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Ecotourism growth statistics
- According to tourism industry statistics the global ecotourism market size in 2024 is estimated at approx. USD 247 billion.
- With an average annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.90 the ecotourism market is expected to reach about USD 656 billion in 2032.
- The Asia Pacific region seems to have the highest CAGR and therefore is expected to be the fastest growing market until 2032.
- Concerning other destinations, these sustainable tourism statistics state that North America was the region with the largest market share of ecotourism in 2023. In general, the market consists of revenues through providing eco-friendly accommodation, agro-tourism and a strong community development.
- Looking at the sustainable travel statistics of 2023 the top ten countries for an eco-friendly stay and sustainable vacations are:
- Sweden
- Finland
- Austria
- Estonia
- Norway
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Iceland
- Latvia
- Switzerland
- Although all these countries are in Europe, there are also the top cities for sustainable tourism, which are not just located on the European continent:
- Melbourne
- Madrid
- Seville
- Stockholm
- Tallinn
- Toronto
- Palma de Mallorca
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lisbon
- Munich
These countries and cities were evaluated and selected based on the following indicators: Happiness, equality and social justice in the country, as well as the specific impact of tourism on the local environment. Such as the energy consumption of hotels. Another criterion is the general state of tourism, like the quality of infrastructure or dependence on international demand.
Tourist’s efforts to contribute to a more sustainable way of traveling
- Travel industry statistics from 2022 show that 81% of global travelers said that sustainable tourism was important to them and that they were willing to adopt sustainable travel incentives.
- In a survey conducted in 2023, 43% of travelers worldwide stated that they would plan their sightseeing on vacation so that they could either walk, cycle or use public transport.
- Furthermore, 43% of respondents said they would support small and independent shops at their holiday destination.
- Another 43% of respondents prefer to travel in the low season to avoid overcrowding.
- 74% of travelers are aware that sustainable measures need to be implemented as soon as possible in order to preserve the planet for future generations.
- In a survey conducted in 2022, 37% of travelers stated that sustainability was (very) important to them when choosing a holiday destination. However, 22% of respondents said that sustainability was of little or no importance to them in this regard.
Sustainability in travel and accommodation
Travel and tourism data from the sustainable travel report 2023 by booking.com show some important factors concerning sustainable accommodations:
- Supply doesn’t meet demand, as 51% of respondents in the report state that there are not enough environmentally friendly options on the market.
- 74% of them want travel companies to offer more sustainable travel options
- According to 49% the available sustainable solutions are often too expensive.
- And 47% would like to receive some tips on how to travel sustainably but on a smaller budget.
- 42% of respondents would like to get reward points for making sustainable travel choices
- And 44% of the travelers surveyed just don’t know where to find sustainable offers.
- But 76% of travelers say that they want to travel more sustainably. In general, guests are acting more responsibly:
- 67% of guests have switched off the air conditioning when they were not in their accommodation.
- 60% have used the towels more than once.
- 55% opted for a reusable water bottle during their holiday.
- 77% switched off lights and electrical appliances when they left their accommodation.
- 45% separated their waste during their stay.
- 43% planned their excursions so that they could travel on foot, by bike or by public transport.
- 66% respondents in the report say that they would like to leave the places they have visited in a better condition than how they found them on arrival.
- 69% want the money they spent on their holiday to benefit the local community.
- German travel and tourism industry statistics show that more than 40% of German travelers consider the aspect of sustainability to be important or very important when choosing their holiday accommodation.
Ecotourism expenditure
- According to the travel and tourism data of a HomeToGo Survey, 62% of travelers would pay a little more for environmentally friendly offers.
- To be more precise, a Euromonitor International report confirms that actually 80% of respondents are willing to pay at least 10% more for sustainable travel.
- 41% of travelers are even open to pay more than 30% more for ecotourism.
Biggest cause of CO2 emission in tourism
- One of the most important travel industry facts is that tourism is responsible for nearly 8% of the world’s CO2 emissions.
- According to this chart, Germans cause an average of 11.17 tonnes of greenhouse gasses per person per year. 0.49 tonnes are caused by air travel.
- In 2022, aviation accounted for 2% of global energy-related CO2 emissions worldwide.
- In a 2022 survey, a total of 30% of respondents worldwide stated that they had already felt ashamed of flying due to its negative impact on the environment.
- The good thing is, travelers are increasingly opting for alternatives to air travel, especially for short trips. About 60% of Germans would be open travel without domestic flights. 21% of them are already no longer traveling by plane within Germany.
- Another survey conducted in Germany shows that around 70% of respondents would pay higher prices for flights if they were to offset CO2 emissions. 43% would even pay up to 10% more. But 28% said that they wouldn’t pay a surcharge to offset CO2.
- However, when looking at international surveys conducted concerning the offset of CO2 emissions when using airplanes, it seems that people are far less likely to pay extra.
- To actively reduce a traveler’s carbon footprint the least emission is caused by walking or cycling for short or medium distances. If that’s not possible, public transport, especially trains, is a good option.
Taking the train instead of the car for medium-length distances reduces your CO2 emissions by almost 80%. Comparing trains to domestic flights, taking the train would cut your emissions by around 86%, depending on the exact distance.
The future of sustainable tourism
We’ve looked at travel trends from 2023 and 2024 to predict what we think will be the future of eco-friendly travel and sustainable tourism. While sustainability used to be a competitive advantage, it will become an indispensable component in the hotel industry by the end of 2024. However, this also means that practices like greenwashing will increase.
- The “A Sustainable Future for Travel” report by Intrepid Travel shows that ecotourism will focus more and more on the social aspects rather than being very product oriented. Travel will be more about connecting people, getting to know each other, having deep human connections and considering the environmental and social impact of tourism.
- Hilton’s 2024 Trends Report shows a growing interest in experience. 85% of travelers are prioritizing experiences, while 81% are looking forward to exploring the unknown, 64% just want to try the local cuisine and 48% want to learn about local customs and traditions.
- The Forbes Travel Trends Report of 2024 also touches the topic of AI in tourism. Although AI will never be a valid substitution for personalized service, it will be used more to facilitate certain tasks. AI can help guests to share their needs with staff or make reservations, feedback or requests faster and easier.
- A forecast for 2024 by Condé Nast Traveller states that there will be an increase in tourism activities during off-season. This is mainly due to economic factors and the fact that people try to reduce costs and avoid crowds.
In general, travelers around the world are seeking more and more sustainable adventures. Inflation makes people try to save money, however travelers are willing to pay a little more to have a more authentic and environmentally friendly experience on vacation.
