INSIGHTS: Climate Change Now an Issue Among Travelers
- Henrylito D. Tacio
- 3 hours ago
- 2 min read
New data from the Travel & Sustainability Report 2026 of Booking.com indicates that climate issues have become a significant factor in travel choices, with 79% of travelers from Asia and the Pacific region taking extreme weather into account when selecting both their destinations and travel times, and 44% having modified or canceled their trips due to climate-related interruptions.
The results further highlight a notable shift in how travelers are organizing their trips: many are deliberately steering clear of crowded locations (42%) and opting for off-peak travel (40%), while others are seeking cooler destinations in response to rising temperatures.
Nevertheless, the report reveals a significant tension: although 88% of travelers from the region consider sustainable travel important, there is a disparity between their intentions and actual behavior, as factors such as cost, convenience, and ambiguous information continue to hinder travelers.
This underscores the necessity for clearer and more reliable sustainability information at destinations to assist travelers in making better-informed decisions. In addition to environmental considerations, travelers are increasingly assessing sustainability in terms of local communities, cultural authenticity, and the broader effects of tourism, indicating a more comprehensive approach to responsible travel in 2026.
“This year’s Travel & Sustainability Report shows that while generations may have different understandings of what constitutes more sustainable travel, adapting to extreme weather and actively avoiding crowds are now norms at all ages,” says Danielle D’Silva, director of Sustainability, Booking.com.
Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 32,500 respondents across 35 countries and territories. To participate, respondents had to be 18+ years, have traveled at least once in the past 12 months, must be planning to travel in 2026, and be either the primary decision maker or involved in the decision making of their travel. The survey was taken online and took place in January 2026.
