58 Sustainable Tourism Statistics

In 2026, sustainable tourism is more important than ever, as travellers and businesses alike shift toward eco-friendly practices. The impact of tourism on the environment has become a key focus, with consumers increasingly demanding greener options. In this article, we explore 58 key statistics that highlight the growth of sustainable tourism and ecotourism, including a new section on sustainable travel in the UK. From consumer trends to the environmental impact of travel, these insights reveal how choosing eco-friendly transport options, like coaches and minibuses, can significantly reduce carbon footprints, making group travel both cost-effective and sustainable.

We regularly update this article to provide the most current data, and where newer figures have been published, we've used them to replace the older ones. Feel free to share these insights on your own website, just remember to credit us with a link back. Let's work together to promote responsible travel and positively shape the future of tourism.

 

Global Market Size and Growth

• The global ecotourism market was valued at £141.3 billion in 2019 and was forecast to reach £260.4 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 14.3% from 2020 to 2027. Source: Allied Market Research
• Sustainable travel grew by 15% annually from 2016 to 2020. Source: UNWTO
• An estimated 1.52 billion international tourists travelled in 2025, up 4% on 2024 and almost 60 million more than the year before. Source: UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer (January 2026)
• 72% of global travellers believe that people need to make sustainable travel choices to save the planet. Source: Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report 2021

 

Consumer Trends

• 87% of travellers want to travel sustainably, but only 39% actively make environmentally friendly travel choices. Source: Booking.com
• In a January 2026 survey, 75% of Gen Z and 71% of Millennials said they intend to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months. The biggest barriers are time and cost: 42% say finding more sustainable options takes too much time and effort, and 38% say they're too expensive. Source: Booking.com Travel & Sustainability Report 2026
• 73% of millennials are willing to pay more for sustainable goods, including eco-friendly travel. Source: Nielsen
• 64% of consumers have said they are willing to pay more for sustainable tourism options post-pandemic. Source: McKinsey & Company
• 55% of travellers chose to visit eco-friendly destinations over other alternatives in 2022. Source: World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)
• 43% of travellers surveyed in January 2026 plan to avoid overcrowded tourist destinations in 2026, up 11% year on year. Source: Booking.com Travel & Sustainability Report 2026

Environmental Impact

• Tourism accounted for 8.8% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, reaching 5.2 billion tonnes of CO2e. Tourism emissions grew by 3.5% a year between 2009 and 2019, double the growth rate of the global economy. Source: Nature Communications (December 2024)
• 85% of marine ecosystems are negatively impacted by mass tourism activities, such as large cruise ships and unchecked coastal development. Source: WWF
• In 2019, 52% of tourism's direct emissions came from aviation. Source: Nature Communications (December 2024)
• 90% of coral reefs in popular tourist destinations may be endangered by 2050 due to unsustainable tourism practices. Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

 

Sustainable Travel Practices

• 68% of global travellers want their chosen accommodations to implement energy-saving practices like solar panels or water-efficient systems. Source: Booking.com Sustainable Travel Report 2021
• Travellers booked 100 million room nights at properties with a third-party sustainability certification on Booking.com in 2025, and the number of certified properties on the platform grew 22% year on year to 28,000. Source: Booking.com Travel & Sustainability Report 2026
• Eco-friendly accommodations have seen a 12% growth in bookings from 2018 to 2021. Source: Skift
• Sustainable tourism initiatives have reduced the water consumption of hotels by 20% in some regions. Source: Green Lodging Trends Report
• 40% of hotel chains globally are actively implementing plastic reduction strategies, such as eliminating single-use plastics. Source: WTTC
• 56% of travellers want to reduce their carbon footprint by choosing more sustainable transportation options. Source: Expedia Group

 

Local Community and Cultural Benefits

• Sustainable tourism initiatives provide livelihoods for over 10 million local residents in ecotourism-rich areas. Source: UNWTO
• Every pound spent on ecotourism generates £9.36 in direct and indirect income for local communities. Source: Global Ecotourism Network
• 74% of travellers believe that sustainable travel improves the cultural experiences of destinations they visit. Source: Booking.com
• In a January 2026 survey, 60% of people said tourism has an overall positive impact on their local area, with local economic growth (59%) the top benefit. Traffic congestion was the biggest challenge, cited by 40%. Source: Booking.com Travel & Sustainability Report 2026
• Travel and tourism contributed a record US$11.6 trillion to global GDP in 2025, 9.8% of the global economy, and supported 366 million jobs. WTTC forecasts this will reach US$12 trillion (9.9% of global GDP) in 2026. Source: WTTC Economic Impact Research 2026

 

Wildlife Conservation and Preservation

• In Africa, sustainable ecotourism generates £22.6 billion annually for wildlife conservation efforts. Source: African Wildlife Foundation
• Ecotourism is credited with helping to preserve over 1 million acres of rainforest across Latin America. Source: The Nature Conservancy
• Ecotourism activities have increased wildlife populations in protected areas by 14% over a 10-year period. Source: World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
• 50% of national parks worldwide have integrated ecotourism programs to ensure the conservation of local wildlife and habitats. Source: UN Environment Program
• 24% of Gen Z and 23% of Millennials took part in wildlife or ecosystem conservation activities in the 12 months before the January 2026 survey, compared with 9% of Boomers. Source: Booking.com Travel & Sustainability Report 2026

 

 

Regional Insights

• Costa Rica receives over 1.7 million ecotourists annually, making it one of the world's leading destinations for ecotourism. Source: Costa Rica Tourism Institute
• In Southeast Asia, ecotourism is expected to grow by 17% annually due to increased demand for eco-friendly destinations. Source: ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Index
• Africa's ecotourism market is projected to grow by 12.7% by 2027, driven by an increasing interest in wildlife safaris and nature conservation. Source: Business Research Company
• The European sustainable tourism market is anticipated to reach £85 billion by 2030. Source: Statista
• Europe welcomed 793 million international tourists in 2025, up 4% on 2024 and 6% above 2019 levels. Source: UN Tourism World Tourism Barometer (January 2026)

 

Shifting Traveller Attitudes

• 44% of global travellers said the COVID-19 pandemic has made them more aware of their environmental impact when travelling. Source: GlobalData
• 47% of travellers are now more inclined to support businesses that offer eco-friendly products and services due to pandemic-related reflections on environmental impacts. Source: Euromonitor International
• 55% of tourism operators expect sustainable travel to become a core requirement for travel planning in the next five years. Source: Skift Research
• 70% of travellers expect an increase in demand for nature-based tourism experiences post-pandemic. Source: Travel Weekly
• Climate is now shaping travel plans too. In a January 2026 survey, 74% of travellers said they consider extreme weather risk when choosing a destination and when to travel, and 31% had cancelled or changed trip plans in the previous 12 months because of extreme weather or natural disasters. Source: Booking.com Travel & Sustainability Report 2026

 

Industry Shifts and Policies

• 65 countries have adopted national policies or strategies on sustainable tourism. Source: UNWTO
• The UNWTO estimates that 90% of tourism ministers consider sustainability a top priority for the future of the industry. Source: UNWTO Global Tourism Dashboard
• Over 75% of major travel brands have set carbon-neutral or carbon-negative goals to align with global sustainability efforts. Source: Skift Research
• 30% of the world’s hotel chains are actively working to become carbon neutral by 2030. Source: WTTC
• In a February 2026 survey of 3,715 accommodation providers, 40% said they had adjusted their operations in response to climate-related risks, and 24% experienced operational disruption due to extreme weather in 2025. Source: Booking.com Travel & Sustainability Report 2026 (partner survey)

 

Sustainable Tourism in the UK

Sustainable travel isn't just a global trend. Here's how UK travellers are thinking about it closer to home.

• 31% of UK adults strongly agreed that "sustainable travel is really important to me" in March 2026, up from 28% in October 2023. Source: VisitBritain Domestic Sentiment Tracker: Sustainability (March 2026)
• 22% of UK adults said concern about climate change influenced their holiday choices to a large or very large extent in March 2026, rising to 45% of 25 to 34-year-olds. Source: VisitBritain Domestic Sentiment Tracker: Sustainability (March 2026)
• 29% of UK adults had specifically looked for sustainable holiday accommodation in England as of March 2026, and 73% of them said it was easy to find. Source: VisitBritain Domestic Sentiment Tracker: Sustainability (March 2026)

 

Sustainable Modes of Transport

• Coaches and buses emit significantly fewer emissions per passenger compared to cars and planes, with coaches producing about 85% less CO2 per passenger than flying. Source: Transport & Environment
• On average, a full coach is four times more efficient than a car and can replace as many as 50 cars on the road, significantly reducing congestion and emissions. Source: International Road Transport Union (IRU)
• Travelling by coach emits 0.03kg of CO2 per passenger per kilometre, which is the lowest emission rate compared to planes (0.25kg) and cars (0.11kg). Source: European Environment Agency
• On an example Glasgow to London journey, a coach produces 22kg of CO2e per passenger, compared with 175kg by plane, 90kg by petrol car and 28kg by train (2023 figures). Source: Department for Transport, Transport and environment statistics 2023
• Public buses and coaches can reduce road traffic by up to 25% during peak hours, contributing to lower air pollution and better urban air quality. Source: European Commission Mobility and Transport
• Replacing a long-distance car journey with a coach trip can reduce the carbon footprint by 75%, as coach services are one of the most eco-friendly transport options. Source: Sustainable Travel International
• The global bus and coach market is expected to grow by 6.1% annually as more travellers choose sustainable transport options like buses and coaches over private cars and flights. Source: Allied Market Research
• Electric buses are set to comprise 40% of the global bus fleet by 2040, contributing to a 50% reduction in urban transport emissions in major cities. Source: Bloomberg New Energy Finance
• Rail travel is also a highly sustainable option, with 70% lower emissions compared to air travel for the same distance. However, when comparing accessibility and flexibility for large groups, coaches remain more convenient. Source: International Union of Railways
• For group travel, coaches and buses offer a significantly lower per-passenger carbon footprint than both planes and cars, providing a cost-effective and eco-friendly alternative. Source: World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)

As the world of sustainable tourism continues to evolve, staying informed about the latest trends and statistics is essential for making responsible travel choices. We'll keep this article regularly updated with the most recent data to ensure you're always in the know. Feel free to reference and share these statistics on your own website, but please be sure to credit us with a link back to this page. Together, we can promote eco-friendly travel and make a positive impact on the future of tourism.

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