Canadians Going For Green Travel In 2016
Green is in and Canadian travellers have made one thing clear this year – eco-friendly travel is a top priority.
A recent study by Booking.com found that 62% of Canadians plan on booking eco-friendly accommodation this year and over a third (39%) already consider themselves to be sustainable travellers.
Thankfully, it’s never been easier for Canadians to pick accommodations that are green. From the Booking.com properties surveyed, over a quarter (26%) have initiatives in place to protect the environment while almost a fifth (19%) support their local community. Over half (51%) of properties are currently credited as following official sustainability criteria from a recognized organization in sustainability, such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.
“Sustainable accommodation is a world away from dim lighting, low water pressure and no air-con. Guests may not realize that as they sleep on organic cotton sheets, washed with water heated by energy generated from the hotel itself, they are staying sustainably. Or that when eating a meal made from ingredients sourced within 30 km of their accommodation, they are a sustainable traveller supporting local business,” said Gillian Tans, CEO, Booking.com.
The research also showed that 66% of Canadians would be more likely to choose accommodation if they knew it was sustainable.
As more Canadians look to experience a sustainable stay, Booking.com is considering ways to evolve its Passion Search platform to include eco-based interests and destination intelligence to make searching for the best destinations tied to specific sustainable initiatives and practices easier.
