Booking.com: Growing Awareness of Tourism’s Impact on Communities

International

Booking.com has released the 10th edition of its annual Sustainable Travel Research, highlighting the increasing awareness among travellers regarding the social and ecological impacts of tourism.

Since the first survey in 2016, the platform has gathered insights from nearly 230,000 travellers across 35 markets, examining both travel behaviors and perceptions of tourism's effects on local communities.

Key Findings: Growing Consciousness Among Australian Travellers

For the first time, more than half (51%) of Australian travellers are aware of the impact tourism has not only on the environment but also on local communities. This marks a significant rise from 2016, when only 40% of Australians believed they were travelling sustainably. By 2025, an overwhelming 91% of respondents expressed a desire to make more sustainable travel choices.

While the majority (62%) of Australian travellers acknowledge the positive impact of tourism in their local areas, they also cite challenges such as increased traffic, littering, overcrowding, and the rising cost of living.

Furthermore, Australians are demonstrating a strong commitment to community-focused tourism:

· 77% of respondents want the money they spend while travelling to benefit local economies.

· 73% want to leave destinations in a better state than when they arrived.

Community-Centric Approach to Sustainable Travel

This year’s research introduces a new perspective by not only examining how people travel but also how they experience inbound tourism in their own communities. This dual approach provides valuable insights into both the benefits and challenges of tourism from the viewpoint of locals and visitors alike.

Todd Lacey, Regional Manager for Oceania at Booking.com, emphasized the importance of aligning tourism development with the expectations of conscientious travellers:

“To ensure that destinations can continue to be enjoyed by both locals and visitors alike, tourism, infrastructure, and innovation need to keep pace with travellers' good intent. We ultimately want to make it easier for travellers to connect with a more diverse range of local communities across Australia, from far-flung regions to Indigenous tourism operators, to help spread the positive benefits of tourism more broadly.”

For those interested in exploring the full findings, Booking.com’s comprehensive 2025 Sustainable Travel Research report is available for download here.