The pandemic could represent a turning point for sustainable travel, according to a new survey by Booking.com.
Based on insights from more than 29,000 respondents in 30 countries, the report proposes that “we are at a pivotal moment in travel”.
Now in its sixth year, the annual Sustainable Travel report shows that awareness of eco-friendly tourism is at an all-time high, and there is a unique opportunity, as people begin to explore the world again, for good intentions to be transformed into concrete actions.
“Our research uncovers how the travel hiatus has opened travellers’ eyes to the impact, both positive and negative, that their trips can have on local ecosystems and communities around the world,” says Marianne Gybels, director of sustainability at the accommodation booking website.
Here are five key takeaways from Booking.com's 2021 Sustainable Travel Report:
Travellers want to be more sustainable
In the survey, 46 per cent of travellers said the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future, while 42 per cent admitted that the pandemic has also shifted their attitudes to making positive changes in their everyday lives.
Interestingly, this number varied widely across different countries. For example, 88 per cent of respondents from Vietnam and India said the pandemic has made them want to travel more sustainably in the future, with 84 per cent in Colombia and Chile saying the same.
Travellers in Asia and South America seemed more attuned to the need for a change in their travelling habits, compared to Europe, the US, Canada and Australia. Only 30 per cent of travellers in Germany and the Netherlands said that the pandemic had encouraged them to travel more sustainably.
Sustainability is multi-faceted
Sustainability is not limited to environmental impact, something that many of the respondents in the Booking.com study seem to recognise. Cultural understanding and preservation of cultural heritage are crucial, according to 74 per cent of respondents, while 68 per cent want to ensure the economic benefits of the travel industry are spread equally across all levels of society.
Meanwhile, 65 per cent expressed a desire to have authentic experiences that are representative of the local culture when they travel. When it came to key concerns, 43 per cent cited excess waste, such as single-use plastics, as their biggest worry, while threats to wildlife and natural habitats, overcrowding at popular sites and carbon-dioxide emissions were other primary areas of worry.
People want more sustainable accommodation options
In the report, 61 per cent of respondents said they would be more likely to choose an accommodation provider that had implemented sustainability practices, while 48 per cent reported getting annoyed if somewhere they were staying stopped them from being sustainable.
But barriers remain. More than 40 per cent of respondents claimed there still aren’t enough sustainable travel options available in 2021, and 53 per cent said they still find it harder to make sustainable choices while travelling than in their everyday lives.
Notably, 49 per cent view their holiday as a time to escape and relax, without having to think about sustainability.
Small changes can make a difference
They might feel like a drop in the ocean, but even the smallest changes, when multiplied exponentially, can have a lasting effect.
“Eliminating single-use plastics or switching to energy-efficient LED light bulbs might seem insignificant in isolation, but multiplied by millions of travellers and properties around the world, these small steps all start to add up to a much bigger potential positive impact,” says Gybels.
Multiplied by millions of travellers and properties around the world, these small steps all start to add up to a much bigger potential positive impact
Luckily, the report found that 78 per cent of travellers want to reduce their water usage and energy consumption while travelling, for example by turning off the AC and lights in their room while they are not in it, while 72 per cent want to use more environmentally friendly modes of transport.
Also, in increasing instances, these good intentions are being translated into actions. More than 30 per cent of respondents said they had made a conscious decision to reduce energy expenditure while travelling in the past year; 36 per cent travelled with their own reusable water bottle, rather than buying bottled water at their destination; and 36 per cent shopped at small, independent stores to support the local economy while holidaying.
Transparency is key
While many accommodation providers are making efforts to increase their sustainability credentials, in many cases they are not successfully communicating these initiatives to their guests.
More than 82 per cent of Booking.com’s accommodation partners claim to view sustainability as important, but 33 per cent do not believe they do enough to warrant communicating their efforts to guests. Notably, 32 per cent do not think their guests are interested, and 28 per cent worry that guests will find their communication on sustainability issues patronising.
“We are helping to support our partners in their efforts to become more sustainable, providing education and inspiration to take the next important steps on their journey,” say Gybels.
“This starts by encouraging them to identify and share the sustainability practices they already have in place with us, so that we can make this information transparent and easy for travellers to discover when they are searching for a property on our platform.
"In addition, we have also started to display over 30 certifications officially approved by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Tourism and the EU Ecolabel, as well as multiple hotel chain sustainability programmes on Booking.com.”
While the 2021 survey shows a clear upswing in sustainable travel practices, largely attributable to Covid-19, more progress is needed if the pandemic is to mark a real turning point in the way the world travels.
“Over the six years we’ve been conducting this research, it’s been inspiring to see awareness of the importance of sustainable travel consistently grow, both with our customers and now with our partners, too,” says Gybels.
“The good intentions are there on all sides, but there is still a lot of work to be done to make sustainable travel an easy choice for everyone.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Terror attacks in Paris, November 13, 2015
- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Fixtures and results:
Wed, Aug 29:
- Malaysia bt Hong Kong by 3 wickets
- Oman bt Nepal by 7 wickets
- UAE bt Singapore by 215 runs
Thu, Aug 30: UAE v Nepal; Hong Kong v Singapore; Malaysia v Oman
Sat, Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong; Oman v Singapore; Malaysia v Nepal
Sun, Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman; Malaysia v UAE; Nepal v Singapore
Tue, Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore; UAE v Oman; Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu, Sep 6: Final
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
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CHINESE GRAND PRIX STARTING GRID
1st row
Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari)
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
2nd row
Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP)
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
3rd row
Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)
Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing)
4th row
Nico Hulkenberg (Renault)
Sergio Perez (Force India)
5th row
Carlos Sainz Jr (Renault)
Romain Grosjean (Haas)
6th row
Kevin Magnussen (Haas)
Esteban Ocon (Force India)
7th row
Fernando Alonso (McLaren)
Stoffel Vandoorne (McLaren)
8th row
Brendon Hartley (Toro Rosso)
Sergey Sirotkin (Williams)
9th row
Pierre Gasly (Toro Rosso)
Lance Stroll (Williams)
10th row
Charles Leclerc (Sauber)
arcus Ericsson (Sauber)
The Bio
Ram Buxani earned a salary of 125 rupees per month in 1959
Indian currency was then legal tender in the Trucial States.
He received the wages plus food, accommodation, a haircut and cinema ticket twice a month and actuals for shaving and laundry expenses
Buxani followed in his father’s footsteps when he applied for a job overseas
His father Jivat Ram worked in general merchandize store in Gibraltar and the Canary Islands in the early 1930s
Buxani grew the UAE business over several sectors from retail to financial services but is attached to the original textile business
He talks in detail about natural fibres, the texture of cloth, mirrorwork and embroidery
Buxani lives by a simple philosophy – do good to all
West Indies v England ODI series:
West Indies squad: Jason Holder (c), Fabian Allen, Devendra Bishoo, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Shai Hope, Evin Lewis, Ashley Nurse, Keemo Paul, Nicholas Pooran, Rovman Powell, Kemar Roach, Oshane Thomas.
Fixtures:
1st ODI - February 20, Bridgetown
2nd ODI - February 22, Bridgetown
3rd ODI - February 25, St George's
4th ODI - February 27, St George's
5th ODI - March 2, Gros Islet
MATCH INFO
Northern Warriors 92-1 (10 ovs)
Russell 37 no, Billings 35 no
Team Abu Dhabi 93-4 (8.3 ovs)
Wright 48, Moeen 30, Green 2-22
Team Abu Dhabi win by six wickets
States of Passion by Nihad Sirees,
Pushkin Press
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
