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 Sustainable travel has become the buzzword of the last few years in the travel industry, and while it’s important to keep pushing towards an industry where sustainability is at the core of all business models, it’s also just as important to aim for more.  Single use plastic-free hotels and experiences are essential when we’re thinking about making tourism a force for good, which is a goal that lies near and dear to us at Hotelbeds as a TravelTech leader. Of course, sustainability, environmental concerns and the travel industry have long been connected within both positive and negative discourse. However, plastic pollution and the prevalence of single-use plastics is one of the main challenges facing the planet and the tourism industry, as plastic waste decreases the visual appeal of destinations, pollutes the natural environment, and can contribute to poor human and wildlife health.  Tourism isn’t the only victim when it comes to single-use plastic waste, but the tourism industry itself is a large contributor to plastic pollution, and it’s time that the industry tackles this problem from the inside - just like our Sustainable Hotels Programme, which now offers around 40,000 sustainable hotels. Here are just a few reasons why travel providers should be offering sustainable, single-use plastic-free hotels to your clients. Meet The Demands of Today’s (and Tomorrow’s) TravellerWhile today’s traveller is increasingly sustainably minded, it’s the traveller of the future who will be next in line to take the industry even further and minimising the impact of tourism on the environment.  So, who is it that you're are trying to attract with these sustainable travel offerings?  Millennials, Gen Z, and the up-and-coming Gen Alpha (children of Millennial families) are the travellers of both today and tomorrow; these are the young people who you want to impress, attract, and retain as customers.  These travellers are already purchasing more sustainable travel options than any other demographic whether that’s experiential travel, slow travel, or even domestic travel. It’s got to be sustainable. Gen Z is a demographic which wants to travel sustainably and, according to some reports, are three times as likely to get involved with volunteering or regenerative travel projects when visiting another country.  Similarly, Millennials suggest they want trips that have minimal impact on the environment. Millennials also represent the largest generation to date, with a massive $200 billion in spending power - so if anything, that’s a huge financial reason to pay attention to the needs of this travel segment.  And with the global sustainable tourism industry valued at 181 billion USD and growing all the time, there is significant uplift available for companies, organisations and providers who implement successful sustainable tourism opportunities and who actively partner with those in the travel industry with sustainability at the forefront of their business model. Accor Hotels: A Successful Case Study In Going Single-Use Plastic FreeIn fact, major hotel chains have already made a step forward in order to tackle this issue. One good example is Accor Hotels, which joined the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) in 2022 and has since announced two global partnerships with Green Key and Green Globe certifications.  Going single-use plastic-free can be a challenging task for any business in the travel industry, but here's proof that such an aim is not only attainable, but significantly rewarding for businesses that do. In the following video, Jordane de Villaret Bentinck, VP of Sustainability Communications & Change at Accor, explains the actions the chain has implemented so far and how they have been received by customers. Our Sustainable Hotels ProgrammeThis rising demand for sustainable hotels and experiences is also something we’ve clearly seen at Hotelbeds in the last few years. Our Sustainable Hotels Programme started in 2020 and offered 15,000 properties to travel sellers, and the end, eco-conscious traveller. Since then, it has grown to around 40,000 hotels with a huge increase of 84% over 2022 compared to the prior 12 months.  What’s more, the programme saw a 30% growth in the number of travellers booking sustainable and single-use plastic-free hotels on our platform between 2022 and 2023, and interest shows no signs of slowing down. Sustainable hotels can be found with a filter in our online Booking Engine, which refines searches to highlight hotels who have signed up to our Sustainable Hotels Programme and earned the relevant certification, such as the Hotel Sustainability Basics certificate by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and the GSTC Industry Criteria offered by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). This combined with the powerful, data-driven and user-friendly nature of our Booking Engine, which helps streamline daily tasks for travel providers, means it is easier than ever for travel providers to find the most relevant properties for eco-conscious travellers in just a few clicks. Sign up today to access our growing portfolio of sustainable hotels and begin broadening your offerings to the most vital segment out there right now - young, sustainable travellers.Log in today to access our growing portfolio of sustainable hotels and begin broadening your offerings to the most vital segment out there right now - young, sustainable travellers. Avoid Losing Business As Travel Goes SustainableAs more and more travellers are putting their money where their beliefs are, there is the potential risk that current hotspot destinations which are producing plastic waste will be left behind by an increasingly eco-conscious market.  And for the communities which are so dependent on the revenue generated by tourism, as well as the travel providers, like you, who are dependent on securing bookings from travellers themselves, keeping up with client demand is key. For example, a study in Mallorca suggests that catering for sustainable travellers is not only feasible in built-up, popular locations, but necessary to maintain business and meet traveller needs.  This study was carried out to determine the feasibility and impact of plastic-free zones where single-use plastics (SUPs) were drastically reduced. Hotels in the area were found to produce 7,720 tonnes of plastic waste every year, harming the natural environments which are so popular with visitors. Of the travellers that took part in the study, 84% suggested they would pay more for a single-use plastic free experience - which is a number that cannot be ignored. Evidently, if popular locations do not begin to implement green initiatives, and if travel providers do not promote sustainable hotels and experiences in these regions, the risk of suffering a drop in business as customers choose sustainable alternatives becomes very real. And with 13 million tonnes of plastic entering the waterways around the world every year, reducing the impact of single-use plastic pollution as a result of tourism has never been more important, especially in coastal and island destinations. As our head of Environmental, Social and Governance Carlota Galvan suggests:Considering that around 90% of the plastic in the oceans comes from land-based sources and that the annual damage of plastics in marine ecosystems amounts to 13 billion dollars a year, it is essential to be proactive on the issue. So, the motivation is two-fold for travel sellers to offer and promote single-use plastic free and sustainable alternatives to travellers at the very beginning of their travel plans; not only to help fight the destructive impact of plastic waste, but to continually meet the needs of todays’ traveller, without compromising the traveller of tomorrow.  What’s the first step? Accessing a portfolio of thousands of sustainable hotels to offer your clients! And with around 40,000 hotels participating in our Sustainable Hotels Programme, we at Hotelbeds are in a prime position to offer exactly what your customers are after. Sign up to become one of our valuable partners today to begin optimising your offerings with sustainable properties and access high-value clients all over the world, even in hard-to-reach segments. Become Part of a Forward-Thinking Industry Single-use plastic free. Carbon Neutral. Climate Positive. When you think of these terms, you think of the future. You think of the shape of the travel industry as it is in the minds of those that want to change the industry for good; you think of the next wave of generations who are the most vocal and outspoken about climate change and all the ways that individuals, industries and businesses need to offset the impact on the environment as a matter of urgency.  Global and institutional incentives are also a great way to actively combat plastic waste and join forces with brands and organisations taking it upon themselves to make travel a positive force. As an example, the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (GTPI), which is co-led by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), requires national and local governments, companies, and supporting organisations in the tourism sector to actively commit to reducing plastic pollution and shift towards plastic circularity (reusing and upcycling products rather than disposing of them) by 2025.  While the ‘Future of Tourism’ coalition includes six NGOs who are encouraging key industry names to uphold 13 regenerative principles, such as circular economy, and including sustainable local supply chains in the definition of economic success, rather than just relying on GDP.  These are critical developments from the industry itself, meeting the rising demand for something more than just sustainable travel.  Plus, incentives like this are a practical way to support travel providers like you, as you reduce plastic waste in the daily practices and partnerships that you have, while still maintaining health and quality protocols for the end traveller. Already, many of the world’s best travel providers and institutions are taking action to reduce their plastic use and carbon emissions! For example: Beyond tours, Cunard and P&O had all removed single-use plastics from their ships by the end of 2022.Alaska Airlines has remained the leading US airline on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the last three years running. Leading slow travel tour operator Byway is launching flight-free planning services for international events to minimise carbon emissions.Adventure travel specialist Explore announced one of the most comprehensive carbon measurement projects in the industry, allowing travellers even greater transparency on their environmental impact.Marriott International had converted to shampoo dispenser bottles by 2020, eliminating 10.4 million mini bottles.  Being a part of the movement is only going to bring positive responses from the high-value sustainable traveller and boost your success as a leader of the sustainable charge. What’s more, according to our platforms, tour operators and travel wholesalers are paving the way when it comes to booking sustainable hotels and experiences in some of our most popular destinations around the world. Which means, when it comes to influencing travellers to make sustainable choices, travel providers are essential! Promoting single-use plastic free hotels is just the first step of many; but it’s certainly a start.Plus, ensuring that more sustainable hotels and travel opportunities are front and centre for travellers at the beginning of their booking journey, encourages and enables more sustainable choices – allowing the industry to work together to transform the ‘traditional’ traveller into a sustainable traveller. Sign up today to access a growing portfolio of single-use plastic free hotels and begin to expand your offerings to attract the increasingly eco-conscious traveller of today, with around 40,000 hotels as part of our Sustainable Hotels Programme.Log in to your account now and begin promoting sustainable alternatives from around 40,000 hotels as part of our Sustainable Hotels Programme.  

 The trend towards booking travel through a comprehensive travel provider is growing, as travelers seek authentic experiences. This increasing demand highlights the need for the expertise and connected services that travel providers can offer. For travel providers, staying abreast of consumer behaviour changes, receiving real-time recommendations based on historical data, and capitalising on growth opportunities is essential for staying ahead of competitors, regardless of where travellers are in their journey with you. Not only does this enhance the services you're able to provide to travellers, but these key 'insights' allow you to remain relevant and valuable in the fast-paced travel industry, certainly when it comes to the needs of the end traveller. Are you maximising this opportunity, or still spending countless hours conducting research and making searches in order to close deals, all while staying informed about the latest industry developments? Do you have access to exclusive global connections in key destinations all in one place? You get all this, and much, much more, with Insights. Let's explore how. What Is Insights?Powered by AI-driven data and marketing technology, Insights is a search and recommendation platform for travel agents with unbeatable personalised recommendations and customisable marketing materials available at the touch of a button. Insights is equipped with intuitive features aimed at enhancing your travel marketing efforts, addressing present and future travel trends, and maximising your achievements. With our platform, you can effortlessly provide top-notch travel experiences, leading to increased bookings and loyal customers over time. Plus, as more travellers entrust their travel plans to interconnected travel providers, and with other providers at every level racing to fulfil this demand, having a leg up on the competition is essential. So, what does Insights actually offer? Trend Forecasting with Real-Time Global DataYou’ll never miss out on a destination trend again with Insights.  Using in-market global data and real-time insights garnered from powerful AI, it allows you to keep track of, and capitalise on, destination trends that are most relevant to your source market. Insights is powered by:•    Historic travel search data•    Real-time market data•    An awareness of seasonality•    Historic booking and itinerary dataAll this ensures that our information is valuable, relevant, and influenced by real bookings, to offer you opportunities that closely match the current and upcoming preferences of your market. By enhancing the quality of the products you offer your customers, you also increase your value as a travel provider. This positions you as the top source for the most sought-after destinations and comprehensive travel recommendations tailored to their needs.  As a result, you gain a competitive edge and improve the chances of customers choosing your services repeatedly in the future. AI That Learns From YouWhat makes Insights even better? It’s intuitive, driven by an AI system that actively learns from your behaviour when using the tool. Why? Because you can’t offer bespoke experiences to travellers without a tool that provides a personal experience for you, as their trusted travel provider. When you access Insights, you will see Destination cards, which are recommendations based on their opportunity value. These are the destinations that offer the best growth for you based on your current market, customer booking behaviours and competitor activity. So, once you know your most valuable destination opportunities, how you interact with them tailors your further recommendations.•    Anchor a destination to keep it at the top of your recommendation list regardless of its ranking.•    Save it for later to remove a destination for a period of time, and create a reminder for it.•    Discard a destination to tell Insights you’re not interested.You can anticipate receiving data on demand fluctuations, price decreases in your market, new additions to the hotel industry, and the most popular month to book suggested destinations. Rest assured that all recommendations will be customised to suit your specific needs and operational style. Get started today! Sign up today to access Insights, or log into your Hotelbeds account. Filter Options To Better Cater To CustomersA key question that arises as a traveler provider, is: how can you guarantee that you are providing your customers with the most sought-after destinations, all while accommodating the increasing demand for travel in a manner that is both meaningful and personalised? With Insights, of course.  You get access to a portfolio of globally sourced, exclusive destinations and hotels, but they are presented in an intuitive way with comprehensive filter options so you can quickly refine your searches based on customer preferences. You can cater to a wide range of factors, such as: international or domestic locations, destination theme, traveller type, regions, star ratings and more.  By utilising this tool, you can simplify the booking process and provide customized travel options right from the start. Insights is consistently updated, with clear week-on-week trends visible, allowing you to optimize booking rates effectively. In-Platform Personalised Marketing It goes without saying that the consultation stage before your customer books is one of the most critical, and how you communicate with your customer is vital. So, the ability to create personalised marketing materials in Insights is a pivotal benefit to travel agents. After identifying the most appealing destinations and hotels for your customer through the filter options, the next step is to utilize the Custom Flyer tool to present the top choices. Further customisation can be done by refining these selections based on star rating, traveler type, and TripAdvisor rating for a more tailored experience. What’s more, you can personalise all marketing materials with your own branding, removing the costly and time-consuming process of creating marketing content from scratch – a huge benefit for independent or home-based agents in particular. 99% of marketers recommend that personalization helps to "advance customer relationships" and has an "extremely strong" impact on whether that customer books or not. With feedback like that, it's clear that is forming relationships on a personal level is critical. Cross-sell With Experiences Enhancing your customers’ trips and earning more has never been easier with Insights.  With the ‘Experiences’ tab, you’re able to review popular experiences in each destination you’re researching, ranked by the opportunity value for you, with key information about the experience which you can use to excite and incentivise your clients! By utilizing the interactive features available, you can manage these experiences just like you would your recommended destinations. Whether you choose to anchor, save for later, or discard the displayed options, Insights will consistently recommend the most valuable choices for both you and your clients.  Embracing cross-selling can significantly increase your earnings per consultation, making this integrated feature your greatest asset while utilising Insights.  So why not try out Insights for yourself, and sign up today, or access Insights by logging in to your Hotelbeds account. 

Overtourism is when a destination receives too many visitors. According to McKinsey, 80% of travellers visit just 10% of the world’s tourist destinations. Such imbalanced numbers cause infrastructure problems, harm natural and cultural sites, and frustrate locals. A small town in Austria, Hallstatt is an example of a destination experiencing overtourism. Despite its population of 800, the town receives around 10,000 visitors per day in peak season. This caused the town’s locals to protest against overtourism, while holding signs saying “tourism yes, mass tourism no.” Similarly, around 250,000 people live in Venice, yet, the Italian city accommodates 20 million tourists per year. In 2024, Venice introduced a €5 fee for visitors who would like to access the city centre between 8:30am and 4pm during peak travel season. The main reason behind it was to reduce the congestion in the city, especially due to day-trippers who are exempt from the overnight tourist tax. Like Venice, other popular destinations implemented regulations in 2023 and 2024. Athens capped Acropolis visitors at 20,000 per day. Bali implemented a tourist tax of IDR 150,000 (around €9). And Amsterdam banned the construction of new hotels, to name a few. What are the risks of overtourism? Overtourism poses risks to destinations and locals, while changing the travel experience for tourists and the booking experience for travel agents. Here is what happens:For destinations In 2023, the Canary Islands welcomed 14.1 million foreign visitors, which locals found unsustainable given the islands’ limited resources and increasing prices. In a 2024 protest in Tenerife, a local said their rent was €800 while they earned a salary of €900. Another activist complained about short-term booking websites, saying they increased housing prices for locals, who now have to sleep in cars and caves. Besides increasing the prices for locals, overtourism may also damage the monuments and wildlife. The 20,000 visitor per day cap in Acropolis was put in for this exact reason, as the authorities wanted to protect the UNESCO World Heritage site. For the environmentIn 2023, Peru announced it would suspend visits to Machu Picchu as overtourism caused erosion on some stone structures. Millions of people visit the ancient citadel every year, which is not sustainable in the long run. Later that year, Peru reopened Machu Picchu, but put visitor caps to protect it. The influx of too many tourists also means more pollution. Although Italy’s tourism industry was hard hit during the 2020 coronavirus lockdown, locals in Venice reported cleaner waters and better air quality, as there were no visitors.For travellersWhen travellers stand in long queues, experience visitor caps, and pay tourist taxes, they may get frustrated with the destination. This also reduces the authenticity of the travel experience, which is increasingly important for tourists. In a recent report, 47% of survey respondents said they’d like to connect with locals in less-travelled areas, and 56% said they wanted to explore off the beaten path.  For travel providersDestinations suffering from overtourism may disappoint your clients because of long queues and crowds. This can lead to negative reviews and dissatisfaction, damaging your reputation. In the eyes of some clients, recommending over-crowded destinations during peak season may appear inconsiderate, given the rise of sustainable tourism. According to recent studies, 43% of travellers feel guilty when they make less sustainable travel choices. Nearly half of survey respondents also believe travel service providers are responsible for addressing environmental factors, which include sustainable travel options. Want to know more about how we as a travel ecosystem player can take your business further?  Read more about how to offer comprehensive travel services with Hotelbeds here. Why should travel providers consider overtourism when promoting destinations?Did you know that 44% of travellers have said they were interested in visiting less-touristy spots? As the Vayable CEO Jamie Wong said, “People want to reclaim what’s real. Mass tourism is no longer sufficient.” Experiential travel is on the rise. Travellers are looking for experiences rather than just visiting hotspots. American Express’ Global Travel Trends Report found that 77% of travellers prioritise having the right travel experience over the cost of the trip. And for travel agents, it’s more difficult to hit the right spot with over-crowded destinations. With more off-the-beaten-path destinations, local activities, authentic experiences, and sustainable choices are more likely to happen. Tourism accounts for 8% of carbon emissions globally, and is set to recover from the pandemic. In Q1 2024, international travel reached 97% of pre-pandemic levels. Given that most people visit the same tourist destinations, the environment is at risk. To help clients make more responsible travel choices, educate them on the risks of overtourism. For example, Thailand’s Maya Bay, featured in Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2000 film The Beach, used to receive thousands of tourist boats every day. In 2018, it closed to tourists as the boats destroyed the area’s coral reefs. When it shut down, only 8% of its coral reefs were alive. The conservation efforts started paying off over the years, and in 2023, biologists reported that the coral reef population grew to 20-30%. Marine biologists estimate that it will take another 20 years for the coral reefs to become the way they were 50 years ago. These examples aren’t meant to put people off from travelling. Instead, they are meant to promote less-touristy beaches, eco-friendly hotels, and ethical tours that make tourism beneficial for everyone.How can travel providers find alternative destinations to better accommodate sustainable tourism?Work with HotelbedsTravel providers can use tools and analytics to learn more about emerging destinations that are gaining popularity but are not yet overcrowded.  For example, our Hotelbeds Booking Engine lets you discover hotels, vacation rentals, transfers, tickets, and experiences. Our expansive portfolio provides options from over 170 countries around the world, making it possible to book holidays in alternative destinations. With Hotelbeds, you’ll also get access to Insights, a search and recommendation tool. It gives personalised recommendations on trending destinations, the most popular activities, and alternatives depending on your clients’ needs. This empowers travel providers with bespoke recommendations, improved growth opportunities and a way to keep an eye on the competition. Plus, Insights highlights the destinations that offer the best growth opportunity for travel providers in your specific market, which provides a framework of consideration for your destination marketing strategy; including where you want to subvert these typical expectations within your audience, and offer closely-mirrored alternatives to delight, surprise and cater for travellers looking for hidden gems. We have an expansive portfolio, within our Booking Engine, of 200,000+ hotels, 18,000 experiences for all sorts of travellers and destinations — including the lesser-known ones. Not only this, but you'll join a connected network of 66,000 travel distributors, all benefiting from our end to end services as a ecosystem player in the travel industry. Understand Traveller NeedsFor travel providers liaising directly with the end customers, or with channels of communication that reaches this audience, it's worth thinking about what recommendations will speak to travellers in different regions, countries, demographics and your bespoke targeting segments. Ask yourself these questions:What type of experience are they looking for? - Are they looking for a vibrant culinary travel or ecotourism experience? Or are they in the mood for a city-scape?Where have they enjoyed staying before - and are they looking for something similar?What were they unsatisfied with in their last destination? - Understanding any unsatsifactory aspects of their trip, and how overtourism may have played into this, will help you provide a more satsifactory recommendation When formulating a destination marketing strategy, consider promoting alternative destinations to those firm favourites, for a better experience for travellers, and increased booking opportunities. Gone are the days when travellers were happy to settle for a superficial look at their destination of choice, 2024's travel trends (and beyond) suggest that today's (and tomorrow's) traveller wants to get under the skin of wherever they go, to understand the culture, the environment, and the people there. Instead of the usual Paris city center stay for a romantic getaway, why not consider suggesting Reims? Situated in the renowned Champagne region of Paris and just a short day-trip away from the city, this charming town provides a romantic ambiance featuring breathtaking Champagne houses and Gothic architecture. For urban enthusiasts who have been eyeing vibrant metropolises such as Tokyo, Hong Kong, or Seoul, Taipei stands out as a compelling alternative in Asia. The city boasts a rich cultural heritage, bustling night markets, and breathtaking scenic spots like Beitou and Maokong. For travelers looking for an adventurous yet sustainable experience, Costa Rica's cloud forests offer a life-changing and eco-friendly option. With three protected nature reserves - Monteverde, Santa Elena, and Bosque Eterno de los Niños - that showcase a wide variety of wildlife, extensive hiking trails, and rich biodiversity, this destination is a wonderful place to explore Costa Rica's ecosystems while supporting their sustainable initiatives. By booking these alternative destinations, you’re more likely to offer authentic experiences and sustainable options, away from the crowds of destinations experiencing overtourism. Everyone benefits from the experience — you offer an unforgettable travel experience, travellers have an amazing trip, less densely visited areas get an economic boost, and the popular destinations experience a reduction in the strain caused by mass tourism. Sign up today or log in to your Hotelbeds account to get the latest offers and stay up-to-date with travel trends.