Expedia Group has joined Travalyst, Prince Harry‘s not-for-profit sustainable travel coalition, in order to improve sustainability in the travel industry.
The company’s brands include Vrbo, Hotels.com, Hotwire, Orbitz, Trivago, Travelocity, Expedia Cruises and CarRentals.com.
By joining Travalyst, Expedia Group aims to provide travellers with better information and encourage travel providers to improve the sustainability of their offerings.
“As Expedia Group moves our sustainability strategy forward, we are committed to taking action to address climate change and working across our industry and with a range of partners to shape a more sustainable travel and tourism sector,” said Aditi Mohapatra, VP of global social impact and sustainability at Expedia Group.
Providing accessible information on sustainability
“Travelers are looking for ways to minimize their environmental footprint while traveling, and to make a positive impact on the destinations and communities they visit,” she added.
“And they are increasingly turning to our platform for inspiration and guidance to inform their decisions.”
Travalyst is bringing together some of the world’s largest travel and tourism platforms and providers to provide accessible information on sustainability.
Expedia Group joins Booking Holdings, Trip.com Group. Skyscanner, Tripadvisor, Google and Visa in the coalition of companies, which was first created by Prince Harry in September 2019.
“Since its inception, Travalyst’s mission has been to transform travel into a wholly positive industry,” said Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst. “Driven by data and the core belief that travel is a force for good, Expedia Group’s commitment, platforms and data will enable Travalyst to help more travelers and travel providers make better choices for themselves and the planet.”
Consumers looking for sustainable options
New research released by Expedia Group revealed that 90 percent of consumers are looking for sustainable options while making bookings. However, 70 percent feel overwhelmed when searching and making decisions.
The research also found that nearly 70 percent of people are willing to forgo convenience in order to travel more sustainably. Half of travellers want to see more sustainability information from destinations and tourism boards.
Additionally, the research showed that brands should make sustainable travel information easier to understand. Travellers want to know that brands are truly committed to sustainability.
greenloop, blooloop’s conference on sustainability in visitor attractions, took place this week. Recordings will be available to ticket holders until the end of this year.
Image: The Red Sea Project
