Showcasing green initiatives for sustainable travel and lodging holds significant importance in today’s travel landscape.

According to Booking.com's 2023 Sustainable Travel Report, 76% of travellers express a desire for sustainable holiday travel, highlighting the growing interest in eco-conscious choices.

Booking.com’s third-party certification represents the highest standard in terms of recognising an accommodation’s efforts towards operating more sustainably.

Sustainability Certification plays a pivotal role on Booking.com. A staggering 76% of global travellers expressed their inclination towards sustainable travel this year. Moreover, 65% of respondents indicated they would prefer accommodations with sustainable certifications or labels.

Why is Sustainability Certification crucial?

It enables hotels and accommodations to showcase their commitment to sustainability, aiding travellers in easily identifying eco-friendly options on Booking.com. This visibility is key, as research by Booking.com indicates that 51% of global travellers feel there's a scarcity of sustainable travel choices, despite only 43% recalling seeing highlighted sustainable options on travel websites.

Here's how to attain Sustainability Certification on Booking.com

Accommodation providers qualify for the certification and Sustainability Certification upon completing and verifying a FuturePlus sustainability assessment. This assessment entails approximately 200 indicators for micro and small businesses and just under 300 for medium-to-large organisations.

These indicators are sourced from various best practice references, including recognised ESG certification schemes, the United Nations Global Compact, government and NGO frameworks, and more. Each indicator is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, providing a comprehensive framework for sustainability.

FuturePlus partners with venues and accommodations worldwide to enhance sustainability performance. Recent additions to this community include Hotel du Parc Bougival in Paris and Holiday Inn Express Dresden Zentrum, part of LRO Hospitality.

“Partnering with FuturePlus has helped turn our sustainability intentions into measurable goals and provided us with the tools, roadmap, and support to achieve our sustainability goals,” reveals Thomas Taanum, General Manager of Holiday Inn Express Dresden Zentrum.

“The hospitality industry faces specific challenges when it comes to sustainability, and we want to ensure that sustainability is a central consideration in our operations. FuturePlus has helped us to assess and address these challenges and we look forward to continued progress across all areas of sustainability.”

Sustainability Certification is the replacement for Booking.com's Travel Sustainable programme.

Partnering with FuturePlus will soon enable accommodations to showcase their sustainability credentials across various platforms, including HotelMap and Google, in addition to Booking.com.

For assistance in kickstarting your sustainability journey or to learn more about our services, contact us at [email protected] or book a demo here.

Join us in making a positive impact on sustainable travel.