Booking.com survey shows Canadian travellers more conscious of impacts than ever before

Booking.com has released the 10^th annual edition of its research into traveller attitudes and intentions related to the social and ecological impact of travel.

Insights from 32,000 travellers across 34 countries and territories, including 1,000 from Canada, were collected. Results showed that more than half of Canadian travellers (53 per cent) are now conscious of travel’s impact on communities as well as the environment, and that two thirds (66 per cent) now want to leave places better than when they arrived.

Booking.com’s new research takes a community-centric lens. Asking respondents not just how they travel, but how they also experience inbound visitors where they live, the approach sheds light on the benefits and challenges of tourism from their perspective as both travellers and locals.

The report reveals that while more than half (58 per cent) of Canadian travellers feel that tourism has a positive impact overall on the place where they live, adjustments are needed so that destinations can grow at a healthy pace and continue to be enjoyed by all.

With over half (57 per cent) of Canadian travellers believing there is the right amount of tourism where they live, as residents they highlight some of the common challenges they face related to tourism, including traffic congestion (40 per cent), littering (30 per cent), overcrowding (30 per cent) and rising cost of living (33 per cent).

Despite these concerns, only a small number (16 per cent) of Canadian travellers believe that capping the number of tourists in their home destination is the answer. Instead they emphasize the need for investment in their communities with improved transportation (33 per cent), waste management (30 per cent), and environmental conservation (23 per cent) identified as the top types of support they’d like to see.

When it comes to visitor behaviour where they live, half (51 per cent) of Canadian travellers say that the tourists they see at home often or always respect local customs and traditions, and support local businesses (57 per cent).

While this still highlights room for improvement, it does correlate with their own intentions for travel, with 73 per cent wanting the money they spend to go back to the local community, and 76 per cent seeking authentic experiences representative of local culture.

In 2025, travelling more sustainably remains important for most Canadian travellers (8 per cent). Looking back over the decade, the data show how it has become a larger priority for many when planning trips.

Back in 2016 less than half (39 per cent) of Canadian travellers believed they travelled more sustainably. By 2025, 94 per cent said they want to make more sustainable travel choices and, to some extent, have done so.

In addition to increased intent, over the 10 years that Booking.com has been gathering insights, there have been shifts in awareness levels, preferences and priorities when it comes to what travellers perceive as having a more positive impact on local destinations, communities and ecosystems.

During this time, many habits related to waste reduction and energy consumption have become increasingly mainstream and remain the top choices when travellers think of influencing the impact of their trips.

In 2020, 37 per cent of Canadian travellers said they turned off the air conditioning or heating in their accommodation when they weren’t there, and by 2023 this was up to 53 per cent. This year’s research shows that behaviours relating to community and economic impact now sit alongside these environmental choices, with travellers consciously considering ways they can minimize the impact of the destinations they visit, whether that’s seeking advice on travel at less popular times of year (33 per cent) or visiting alternative destinations to avoid overcrowding (28 per cent).

“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,” said Danielle D’Silva, director of sustainability at Booking.com. “As a leader in the travel industry, we want to make it easier for both travellers and partners to feel confident that the choices they make are helping contribute positively to the destinations they visit. That includes highlighting hotels and accommodations with reputable third-party sustainability certifications or providing training and guidance to our accommodation partners, as well as how to best engage with local communities or reduce their usage of natural resources.”

“As we look to the future, we are also optimistic about the potential for AI and other technology to play a role,” she continued. “We ultimately want to make it easier for travellers to connect with a more diverse range of local communities and help spread the positive benefits of tourism more broadly.”

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