The COVID-19 has given tourist destinations a much-needed moment of rest as travellers stayed indoors. This pause in globetrotting has inspired hopeful Indian travellers to become more aware of the wider impact of their trips, with 70% of Indian travellers wanting to travel more sustainably in the future, as per Booking.com’s Future of Travel research findings.
The survey conducted by leading digital travel platform Booking.com also reveals that 78% of Indian travellers expect the travel industry to offer more sustainable travel options to meet their goals of sustainable travel in the future.
76% of Indian travellers will stay away from crowded tourist attractions, indicating that destinations will need to adopt new, smart crowd management measures to appease travellers.
The report further states that 54% of Indian travellers will visit alternative destinations in a bid to avoid travelling during peak season and 49% of Indian travellers will prefer alternative destinations to avoid overcrowding.
Supporting local communities as the pandemic has amplified people’s awareness about their impact on the environment and local communities, travellers are now more aware of their impact than ever before, which will pave the way for more sustainable and regenerative travel in the future. 75% of Indian travellers indicated that they want their travel choices to also support the destination’s recovery efforts, and 73% of Indian travellers want to see how their spendings go back into supporting the local community.
Recycle and upcycle the impact of Coronavirus has inspired 55% of Indian travellers to consider reducing waste and recycle their plastic when travelling once travel restrictions are lifted, showing that people are not just committed to protecting themselves, but also the places they visit.
