Sustainability In The Travel Industry Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Sustainability In The Travel Industry Statistics

Transportation drives about 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet travelers are demanding action fast, with 61% saying sustainability influences where they book and 40% adjusting plans due to sustainability concerns. Policy and reporting pressure is tightening too, from EU flight emissions rules to CSRD moving more companies into disclosure by an estimated 50,000, while hotel efficiency upgrades can cut energy use by up to 45% and reduce water use by 15 to 25%.

39 statistics39 sources12 sections9 min readUpdated 2 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

20% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation (including air, road, rail, and shipping).

Statistic 2

2.5% of global CO2 emissions in 2019 came from aviation operations (fuel combustion).

Statistic 3

9% of global CO2 emissions were attributed to the transportation sector in 2016 (the report’s cited share for transport).

Statistic 4

61% of surveyed consumers say they consider a business’s environmental sustainability when deciding where to travel.

Statistic 5

40% of global online travelers changed travel plans due to sustainability concerns in 2023 (consumer panel result).

Statistic 6

56% of travelers expect hotels to provide more sustainability information (survey finding).

Statistic 7

54% of travelers say sustainability is a major factor in travel accommodations selection (survey finding).

Statistic 8

EU ETS covers flights departing from the EEA and UK airports, and it requires surrender of allowances for emissions from 2012 onward (policy requirement).

Statistic 9

EU Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 applies due diligence requirements to certain commodities, impacting sustainable sourcing for hospitality supply chains (policy measure).

Statistic 10

EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139) establishes technical screening criteria for climate mitigation and adaptation activities (standards for eligibility).

Statistic 11

Reporting threshold for the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) includes large companies and listed SMEs, increasing the number of companies subject to sustainability reporting to an estimated ~50,000.

Statistic 12

The EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requires member states to set minimum energy performance requirements for buildings (directive framework).

Statistic 13

The EU’s FuelEU Maritime proposal aims to reduce GHG intensity from maritime transport by 2% in 2025, 6% in 2030, 14.5% in 2035, and 75% by 2050 compared with a 2020 baseline (targets).

Statistic 14

IATA forecast of 2024 air travel passengers returning to ~2019 levels (illustrated in the airline industry’s traffic outlook).

Statistic 15

UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires certain businesses to publish an annual slavery and human trafficking statement describing steps taken (legal requirement).

Statistic 16

California SB 253 (Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act) requires certain large companies to disclose annual Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and certain related data starting from 2026 (effective reporting schedule).

Statistic 17

45% average reduction potential in hotel energy use from switching to efficient HVAC and lighting, based on energy efficiency studies compiled by the IEA for buildings.

Statistic 18

15–25% reduction in water use from installing low-flow fixtures and flow restrictors in buildings (range from U.S. EPA water efficiency resources).

Statistic 19

1.2–2.0% fuel burn reduction per year from improved aircraft engine and aerodynamic technology in aviation technology outlooks (CAGR-like annual improvement figure used in forecasts).

Statistic 20

€ 1.7 trillion additional annual investment needed by 2030 in energy systems to meet climate targets (context for travel energy transition).

Statistic 21

Hotel energy efficiency retrofits can pay back in 2–5 years based on energy audit and retrofit cost analyses compiled in the IEA’s buildings efficiency guidance.

Statistic 22

The International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency improvements provide the largest share of emissions reductions in the buildings sector (quantified in sector outlook).

Statistic 23

The cost premium for SAF relative to conventional jet fuel has historically been multiple-fold, with widely cited ranges (policy and market analysis in IEA SAF report).

Statistic 24

38% of hotels adopted building energy management systems (BEMS) in the last three years (adoption survey result).

Statistic 25

61% of hoteliers use digital systems to manage room occupancy and HVAC control (survey finding).

Statistic 26

4.6 million properties are listed on Booking.com with at least one sustainability initiative badge (listing footprint statistic).

Statistic 27

The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) lists 17 criteria areas for sustainable tourism destinations (standard framework quantity).

Statistic 28

ISO 14064-1 defines requirements for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas emissions at the organization level (standard scope quantity).

Statistic 29

ISO 14067 specifies requirements to quantify and communicate the carbon footprint of products (standard scope quantity).

Statistic 30

SBTi: 2,048 companies had targets approved by 2024 (number of companies with approved science-based targets globally).

Statistic 31

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards are used by over 10,000 organizations worldwide (adoption count).

Statistic 32

61% of global travelers changed or would consider changing travel plans due to sustainability concerns in 2024, according to a Booking/consumer panel study of online travelers (survey finding).

Statistic 33

45% of global travelers expect hotels to provide more sustainability information, based on a survey reported by Amadeus in 2023 (survey finding).

Statistic 34

8.4% of global travel (hotel and accommodation-related) greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 came from buildings energy use and electricity (share of emissions by travel sub-activity, modeled).

Statistic 35

28% of hotels in the EU report having a formal energy management system in place, according to a 2022 industry survey (operations adoption metric).

Statistic 36

The EU’s ETS airline emissions compliance covers flights departing from the EEA and UK airports from 2012 onward, requiring allowance surrender for reported emissions (policy requirement).

Statistic 37

ISO 14064-1 specifies requirements for organization-level greenhouse gas inventories, including planning, quantification, and reporting (standard scope metric: requirement set).

Statistic 38

ISO 14067 specifies quantification and communication of product carbon footprints, including planning and reporting requirements (standard scope metric: requirement set).

Statistic 39

2.5% of hotel operating costs on average are attributable to energy expenses in the U.S., motivating energy-efficiency investments (cost share metric).

Sources
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Henrik Dahl

Written by Henrik Dahl·Edited by Margot Villeneuve·Fact-checked by Rajesh Patel

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 12, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Transportation is responsible for about 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet millions of travelers are steering demand toward lower impact stays. In 2023, 40% of online travelers changed their plans due to sustainability concerns while 56% expect hotels to provide more sustainability information. This post pulls together the key sustainability in the travel industry statistics to show where the biggest emissions and the biggest behavior shifts are colliding.

Key Takeaways

  • 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation (including air, road, rail, and shipping).
  • 2.5% of global CO2 emissions in 2019 came from aviation operations (fuel combustion).
  • 9% of global CO2 emissions were attributed to the transportation sector in 2016 (the report’s cited share for transport).
  • 61% of surveyed consumers say they consider a business’s environmental sustainability when deciding where to travel.
  • 40% of global online travelers changed travel plans due to sustainability concerns in 2023 (consumer panel result).
  • 56% of travelers expect hotels to provide more sustainability information (survey finding).
  • EU ETS covers flights departing from the EEA and UK airports, and it requires surrender of allowances for emissions from 2012 onward (policy requirement).
  • EU Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 applies due diligence requirements to certain commodities, impacting sustainable sourcing for hospitality supply chains (policy measure).
  • EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139) establishes technical screening criteria for climate mitigation and adaptation activities (standards for eligibility).
  • 45% average reduction potential in hotel energy use from switching to efficient HVAC and lighting, based on energy efficiency studies compiled by the IEA for buildings.
  • 15–25% reduction in water use from installing low-flow fixtures and flow restrictors in buildings (range from U.S. EPA water efficiency resources).
  • 1.2–2.0% fuel burn reduction per year from improved aircraft engine and aerodynamic technology in aviation technology outlooks (CAGR-like annual improvement figure used in forecasts).
  • € 1.7 trillion additional annual investment needed by 2030 in energy systems to meet climate targets (context for travel energy transition).
  • Hotel energy efficiency retrofits can pay back in 2–5 years based on energy audit and retrofit cost analyses compiled in the IEA’s buildings efficiency guidance.
  • The International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency improvements provide the largest share of emissions reductions in the buildings sector (quantified in sector outlook).

Most travelers now expect clearer hotel sustainability and stricter rules, as transport fuels about a fifth of emissions.

Emissions & Offsets

120% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation (including air, road, rail, and shipping).[1]
Directional
22.5% of global CO2 emissions in 2019 came from aviation operations (fuel combustion).[2]
Single source
39% of global CO2 emissions were attributed to the transportation sector in 2016 (the report’s cited share for transport).[3]
Directional

Emissions & Offsets Interpretation

For the Emissions and Offsets category, transportation remains a major emissions driver with 20% of global greenhouse gases and 9% of global CO2 tied to transport, while aviation alone contributed 2.5% of global CO2 in 2019 through fuel combustion.

Consumer Demand

161% of surveyed consumers say they consider a business’s environmental sustainability when deciding where to travel.[4]
Verified
240% of global online travelers changed travel plans due to sustainability concerns in 2023 (consumer panel result).[5]
Verified
356% of travelers expect hotels to provide more sustainability information (survey finding).[6]
Verified
454% of travelers say sustainability is a major factor in travel accommodations selection (survey finding).[7]
Directional

Consumer Demand Interpretation

Consumer demand for greener travel is already strong, with 61% of consumers factoring environmental sustainability into where they go and 40% of online travelers changing plans in 2023 over sustainability concerns.

Policy & Regulation

1EU ETS covers flights departing from the EEA and UK airports, and it requires surrender of allowances for emissions from 2012 onward (policy requirement).[8]
Single source
2EU Regulation (EU) 2023/1115 applies due diligence requirements to certain commodities, impacting sustainable sourcing for hospitality supply chains (policy measure).[9]
Verified
3EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act (Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2021/2139) establishes technical screening criteria for climate mitigation and adaptation activities (standards for eligibility).[10]
Verified
4Reporting threshold for the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) includes large companies and listed SMEs, increasing the number of companies subject to sustainability reporting to an estimated ~50,000.[11]
Verified
5The EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) requires member states to set minimum energy performance requirements for buildings (directive framework).[12]
Single source
6The EU’s FuelEU Maritime proposal aims to reduce GHG intensity from maritime transport by 2% in 2025, 6% in 2030, 14.5% in 2035, and 75% by 2050 compared with a 2020 baseline (targets).[13]
Verified
7IATA forecast of 2024 air travel passengers returning to ~2019 levels (illustrated in the airline industry’s traffic outlook).[14]
Verified
8UK Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires certain businesses to publish an annual slavery and human trafficking statement describing steps taken (legal requirement).[15]
Directional
9California SB 253 (Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act) requires certain large companies to disclose annual Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions and certain related data starting from 2026 (effective reporting schedule).[16]
Verified

Policy & Regulation Interpretation

Policy and regulation are rapidly tightening across travel and hospitality, with measures like the EU ETS covering emissions from 2012 and FuelEU Maritime setting GHG intensity cuts of 2% by 2025, 6% by 2030, and 14.5% by 2035, while reporting rules such as the CSRD push coverage toward an estimated 50,000 companies.

Operational Improvements

145% average reduction potential in hotel energy use from switching to efficient HVAC and lighting, based on energy efficiency studies compiled by the IEA for buildings.[17]
Verified
215–25% reduction in water use from installing low-flow fixtures and flow restrictors in buildings (range from U.S. EPA water efficiency resources).[18]
Directional
31.2–2.0% fuel burn reduction per year from improved aircraft engine and aerodynamic technology in aviation technology outlooks (CAGR-like annual improvement figure used in forecasts).[19]
Directional

Operational Improvements Interpretation

Operational improvements can deliver large, measurable gains fast, with hotels cutting energy use by an average 45% through efficient HVAC and lighting and buildings reducing water use by 15 to 25%, while aviation can steadily lower fuel burn by about 1.2 to 2.0% per year through better engines and aerodynamics.

Investment & Costs

1€ 1.7 trillion additional annual investment needed by 2030 in energy systems to meet climate targets (context for travel energy transition).[20]
Verified
2Hotel energy efficiency retrofits can pay back in 2–5 years based on energy audit and retrofit cost analyses compiled in the IEA’s buildings efficiency guidance.[21]
Verified
3The International Energy Agency estimates that energy efficiency improvements provide the largest share of emissions reductions in the buildings sector (quantified in sector outlook).[22]
Verified
4The cost premium for SAF relative to conventional jet fuel has historically been multiple-fold, with widely cited ranges (policy and market analysis in IEA SAF report).[23]
Verified

Investment & Costs Interpretation

Investment and costs are increasingly the make or break factor, since meeting climate targets could require an additional €1.7 trillion of annual investment in energy systems by 2030 while hotel energy efficiency retrofits often pay back in just 2 to 5 years, and SAF still carries a multiple fold cost premium over conventional jet fuel.

Technology Adoption

138% of hotels adopted building energy management systems (BEMS) in the last three years (adoption survey result).[24]
Single source
261% of hoteliers use digital systems to manage room occupancy and HVAC control (survey finding).[25]
Verified
34.6 million properties are listed on Booking.com with at least one sustainability initiative badge (listing footprint statistic).[26]
Verified
4The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) lists 17 criteria areas for sustainable tourism destinations (standard framework quantity).[27]
Verified
5ISO 14064-1 defines requirements for quantifying and reporting greenhouse gas emissions at the organization level (standard scope quantity).[28]
Single source
6ISO 14067 specifies requirements to quantify and communicate the carbon footprint of products (standard scope quantity).[29]
Verified
7SBTi: 2,048 companies had targets approved by 2024 (number of companies with approved science-based targets globally).[30]
Verified
8The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards are used by over 10,000 organizations worldwide (adoption count).[31]
Verified

Technology Adoption Interpretation

Technology adoption for sustainable travel is accelerating, with 61% of hoteliers using digital systems for room occupancy and HVAC control and 38% installing building energy management systems in just the last three years.

Consumer Sentiment

161% of global travelers changed or would consider changing travel plans due to sustainability concerns in 2024, according to a Booking/consumer panel study of online travelers (survey finding).[32]
Verified
245% of global travelers expect hotels to provide more sustainability information, based on a survey reported by Amadeus in 2023 (survey finding).[33]
Verified

Consumer Sentiment Interpretation

For the consumer sentiment lens, 61% of global travelers in 2024 said they would change or consider changing travel plans due to sustainability concerns, and 45% expect hotels to share more sustainability information, signaling strong willingness to act on greener choices.

Emissions & Footprints

18.4% of global travel (hotel and accommodation-related) greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 came from buildings energy use and electricity (share of emissions by travel sub-activity, modeled).[34]
Verified

Emissions & Footprints Interpretation

In the Emissions and Footprints category, buildings energy use and electricity accounted for 8.4% of global travel greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, showing that a sizable portion of travel-related emissions comes directly from how accommodations are powered.

Operations & Adoption

128% of hotels in the EU report having a formal energy management system in place, according to a 2022 industry survey (operations adoption metric).[35]
Verified

Operations & Adoption Interpretation

In operations and adoption, only 28% of EU hotels report having a formal energy management system, showing that structured sustainability practices are still far from universal.

Policy & Investment

1The EU’s ETS airline emissions compliance covers flights departing from the EEA and UK airports from 2012 onward, requiring allowance surrender for reported emissions (policy requirement).[36]
Verified

Policy & Investment Interpretation

From 2012 onward, EU ETS compliance for flights departing from EEA and UK airports has made allowance surrender for reported emissions a binding policy requirement, signaling a strong and continuing Policy and Investment push to embed carbon costs into airline operations.

Standards & Frameworks

1ISO 14064-1 specifies requirements for organization-level greenhouse gas inventories, including planning, quantification, and reporting (standard scope metric: requirement set).[37]
Verified
2ISO 14067 specifies quantification and communication of product carbon footprints, including planning and reporting requirements (standard scope metric: requirement set).[38]
Verified

Standards & Frameworks Interpretation

Within Standards & Frameworks, the travel industry is increasingly guided by formal greenhouse gas measurement standards, with ISO 14064-1 covering organization-level inventories and ISO 14067 extending the framework to product carbon footprints.

Cost & Savings

12.5% of hotel operating costs on average are attributable to energy expenses in the U.S., motivating energy-efficiency investments (cost share metric).[39]
Verified

Cost & Savings Interpretation

In the U.S., energy costs account for 2.5% of average hotel operating expenses, making energy efficiency investments a clear cost savings opportunity within the travel industry.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

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APA
Henrik Dahl. (2026, February 13). Sustainability In The Travel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-travel-industry-statistics
MLA
Henrik Dahl. "Sustainability In The Travel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-travel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Henrik Dahl. 2026. "Sustainability In The Travel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/sustainability-in-the-travel-industry-statistics.

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