Nearly all UAE travellers consider sustainability when planning holidays, with 72.8% actively choosing more sustainable travel options, according to a new report by Trip.com Group.
UAE travellers consider sustainability when booking trips
Trip.com Group’s 2026 Sustainable Travel Consumer Report found that 96.3% of UAE respondents consider sustainability important when making travel decisions.
The study, based on a survey of 8,777 people across 29 markets, suggests that more travellers are considering the environmental and social impact of their holidays.
Environmental responsibility was the biggest motivation for choosing more sustainable travel options, cited by 74% of respondents. Another 61.3% said they wanted to help preserve destinations for future generations, while 59.5% highlighted supporting local businesses and communities.
Higher prices remain a concern
Despite growing interest in sustainable travel, cost remains a major consideration.
The report found that 39.8% of respondents identified higher prices as a barrier to choosing more sustainable options. Limited availability was another concern, cited by 33.5%, while 26.8% expressed concerns about greenwashing.
Price and comfort also remain important when booking holidays, with 64.1% and 61.8% of respondents respectively identifying them as key considerations.
Trip.com introduces new travel impact feature
To help travellers track their choices, Trip.com Group is introducing My Travel Impact, a new feature in its app.
The dashboard brings together information about more sustainable choices across three travel categories:
Hotels: Nights spent at properties carrying Trip.com’s Certified Sustainable label.
Flights: Estimated emissions avoided by selecting lower-emission flight options, where comparable data is available.
Rail: Estimated emissions savings from choosing trains instead of petrol-powered cars, where comparable data is available.
The feature aims to give users a clearer picture of the impact of their travel bookings.
Nature and local culture attract UAE travellers
The report also found that UAE travellers are interested in combining holidays with nature and cultural experiences.
Exploring nature and outdoor destinations was the most popular choice, cited by 53.8% of respondents. Another 44.5% said authentic local culture and heritage would improve their travel experience, while 37.8% highlighted hotels with strong sustainability practices.
Wildlife and nature conservation activities also appealed to 33.5% of those surveyed.
Access to good public transport and lower-carbon travel options would make destinations more attractive to 56% of UAE respondents.
Extreme weather affects holiday plans
Weather conditions are also influencing travel decisions. According to the report, 81.8% of UAE travellers had changed at least one aspect of a trip because of extreme weather.
Younger travellers showed a stronger preference for more sustainable options. The report found that 69.5% of Gen Z respondents intentionally chose such options, compared with 63% of Millennials, 50.6% of Gen X and 40.6% of Baby Boomers.
Trip.com Group CEO Jane Sun said: “Making travel a positive force for the world it connects is a shared responsibility, and the travel industry has a vital role to play in preserving the places, nature and communities that make travel meaningful for generations to come. At Trip.com Group, we believe every journey can make a difference, and we are working to make sustainability part of the travel experience — from lower-carbon transport and certified sustainable stays to helpful information, personalised recommendations and tools such as My Travel Impact.”
