Travel has incredible potential for good. It can boost local economies, provide much-needed funds for conservation and offer employment opportunities. But not all companies operate in a way that benefits the regions they work in, and over recent years this is an issue that’s been thrown into the spotlight.
Travellers have increasingly been seeking more responsible experiences. According to Booking.com’s 2023 Sustainable Travel Report, 76% of respondents want to travel sustainably over the next 12 months, while 2021 research by Google found that 71% of people think travel companies should offer more sustainable choices.
But while a majority of travellers want to book more responsible trips, only about a quarter do. This is known as the ‘intention gap’. Factors such as price and convenience play into this, but it can also be because travellers simply don’t know where to turn for accurate and reliable information.
The situation hasn’t been helped by tenuous sustainability claims and jargon, which have flooded brochures and social media feeds in recent years. This is where certifications come in, which try to cut through the noise by providing a badge that lets customers know a company is doing all it claims to be doing.
But, with over 100 certifications in the travel industry, even this can
