Forty-eight percent of respondents told Kind Traveler that their biggest challenge in sustainable travel is finding accommodation that is both “sustainable and socially conscious.”
Klaus Wedfelt | Digital Vision | Getty Images
Everyone loves a good deal when it comes to booking travel, but many also want the money they spend to do some good where they’re going, according to a survey conducted by hotel booking platform Kind Traveler.
To this point, 96% of survey respondents told the women’s and veterans’ company that it’s “important” (or a little, fairly, or very important) that their road dollars have a positive impact on the places they visit. Last year, Kind Traveler surveyed 1,014 people, 90% of whom lived in the US.
The Importance of Impact Travel in Bookings
In a 2021 survey of 1,014 travelers, Kind Traveler found that:
- 96% said it was important (slightly important, fairly important, important, or very important) that “my travel dollars have a positive impact on the places I visit.”
- 48% said: “My biggest challenge in sustainable travel is choosing accommodations that are environmentally friendly and socially conscious.”
- 37% said: “My biggest challenge in sustainable travel is reducing or eliminating my carbon footprint.”
– Source: Good Traveler
The survey, published in Kind Traveler’s 2022 Global Tourism Impact Report, also found that almost half (48%) of respondents said their biggest challenge in trying to travel green is finding accommodation that is “sustainable and socially conscious.”
Meanwhile, more than a third said their biggest concern was reducing or eliminating their carbon footprint. The full report also details 10 trends in the travel industry based on feedback from 64 Kind Traveler partner hotels, charities and destinations in 16 countries. This includes:
- Hotels and destinations create innovative ways for guests to contribute to surrounding communities and the environment.
- Charities are developing impact tourism experiences to motivate responsible travel.
- Hotels act as “recovery powerhouses” in their host communities.
- Travelers from all over the world are asking for transparency regarding hotels’ charitable and environmental activities.
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“Trends give us direction, and decisions are the best way forward,” Jessica Blotter, report author and CEO of Kind Traveler, said in a statement. Blotter, a former geoscience teacher, said that “education and positive change are intertwined.”
“By creating and offering more favorable choices, tourism opportunities can be created that have a positive impact and drive satisfaction,” said Blotter, who is also chairman of the board of the Center for Responsible Travel.
The Kind Traveler platform offers users special rates and privileges from “curated” hotels when they donate a minimum of $10 to a verified charity of their choice or to a destination they visit. The firm claims 100% of donations go to charity and provides “positive impact rates” with every booking. As of 2022, Kind Traveler has partnered with hotels and travel boards in 22 countries, as well as over 100 charities worldwide.