● Millennials (88%), Gen Z (82%) and Gen X (77%) say they want to travel more sustainably in the coming 12 months.

● Almost half of Gen X (49%), Millennials (48%) and Gen Z (49%) say they intend to support local businesses by shopping at local, independent stores on their trips.

● Extreme weather is increasingly influencing travel decisions, with 69% of Indian travellers considering the risk of extreme weather both when choosing both their destination and the timing of trips.

● Indian travellers are becoming more deliberate in how they plan their trips, with 47% planning to avoid overcrowded destinations, 40% intending to travel outside of peak season, and 33% seeking out destinations with cooler temperatures.

India, 5th May, 2026: Booking.com, one of the world’s leading online travel platforms, today released its 11th annual Travel and Sustainability Report 2026 highlighting consumer attitudes and understanding of the social and environmental impact of travel. With insights from 32,500 travellers across 35 markets, including India*, this year’s research highlights how generations approach travel.* 96% of Indian travellers at all ages say that more sustainable travel is important or very important to them, with all generations expressing clear intentions to be sustainable, as well as engaging in practical behaviours that reflect their values.

Indian Travellers Show Strong Intent for Sustainable Travel

Sustainability continues to shape travel intent across generations among Indian travellers. A majority of Millennials (88%), Gen Z (82%) and Gen X (77%) say they want to travel more sustainably in the coming 12 months. When it comes to taking practical steps to be more sustainable, Indian travellers are converting words into actions:

● Reducing wastage: More than half of Gen X (55%), Millennials (53%) and 44% of Gen Z say they will be keen to recycle, avoid single-use items, among other things to reduce general waste when travelling.

● Supporting the local businesses: Almost half of Gen X (49%), Millennials (48%) and Gen Z (49%) say they will shop more at local, independent stores on their trips.

● Choosing sustainable accommodation: Almost half of Indian travellers in each age group said they plan to stay at an accommodation which has a sustainability accreditation: Millennials (48%), Gen X (46%) and Gen Z (42%).

● Cutting energy use: 57% of Gen X, 49% of Millennials and 46% of Gen Z intend to reduce energy consumption such as turning off air conditioning and lights when they aren’t in their rooms.

Indian Travellers are Adopting Different Approaches to More Sustainable Travel

Sustainability considerations are influencing not only traveller behaviours, but also accommodation choices and these are seen in their actions where Indian travellers have consciously chosen to implement sustainable behaviours during their travels.

● Immersing in local culture: Millennials (40%), Gen Z (39%) and Gen X (35%) had participated in a tour or activity where they learned about or interacted with local indigenous people or cultures.

● Conserving local ecosystems: 37% of Millennials, one-third of Gen X (33%) and more than a quarter of Gen Z (28%), participated in a tour or activity that contributed to the health or conservation of the local ecosystem or wildlife.

● Eating local and seasonal: 60% of Gen X, 59% of Millennials and 55% of Gen Z prioritised locally sourced, seasonal food while travelling.

● Carrying reusable water bottles: Sustainable hydration habits are widely adopted, with 56% Millennials, 54% Gen X and 53% Gen Z using reusable water bottles.

● Paying to offset emissions or support SAF: Financial commitment to lower-impact flying remains limited, with 36% Gen X, 28% Millennials and 25% Gen Z contributing towards carbon offsetting or Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).

Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters are Influencing Indian Travel Choices

Extreme weather is actively reshaping travel choices and timings, becoming a key consideration for all age groups.

More than two-thirds (71%) of Indian travellers consider extreme weather risk when choosing both timing and destination. Indian travellers also actively avoid destinations known for extreme weather (71%), with almost two-thirds (63%) of them finding extreme weather stressful when booking a trip and feeling that unpredictable weather makes it hard to know when to travel (64%).

Interestingly, compared to global travellers (33%), Indian travellers are far more likely to turn concern into action, with 63% reporting having cancelled or changed trip plans in the past twelve months due to extreme weather or natural disasters (e.g. high temperatures, storms, wildfires, floods, etc.). More than half of all those surveyed (59%) said that certain destinations had become too hot to travel to when they wanted to visit them and 62% had removed destinations from their travel wish list due to news of extreme weather or natural disasters. While extreme weather is influencing decisions, it is also prompting travellers to plan more flexibly and explore alternative destinations.

Crowds Out, Conscious In: India’s Travel Priorities are Changing

Indian travellers are making conscious decisions around when and where they travel, reflecting a broader shift towards more sustainable travel in 2026. Nearly half (47%) of Indian travellers across generations say they plan to avoid overcrowded tourist destinations, 40% intend to travel outside of peak season, while one-third (33%) of Indian travellers are actively seeking destinations with cooler temperatures, signalling a growing awareness of both environmental impact and travel comfort.

Of those choosing quieter destinations, almost half (45%) of Indian travellers state a desire to avoid contributing to overtourism and 55% of those planning to travel outside of peak season want to reduce pressure on destinations. These suggest a growing understanding among Indian travellers of the impact of travel on communities as well as the environment.

Santosh Kumar, Regional Head, South Asia at Booking.com, said “What stands out in this year’s Travel & Sustainability Report is how clearly Indian travellers are moving from intention to informed action. Across generations, their intent and actions tell a compelling story. Sustainability is no longer a niche preference, it’s shaping when people travel, where they go and how they engage with destinations. Travellers are adapting to climate realities, embracing flexibility and making more deliberate choices that balance personal needs with destination wellbeing. At Booking.com we are focussed on supporting traveller choices by making it easier for them to discover destinations and options across flights, stays, experiences and more that work for them.”

Methodology

*Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 32,500 respondents across 35 countries and territories (1,000 from USA, 1,000 from Canada, 1,000 from Mexico, 1,000 from Colombia, 1,000 from Brazil, 1,000 from Argentina, 1,000 from Australia, 500 from New Zealand, 1,000 from India, 1,000 from China, 1,000 from Hong Kong, 1,000 from Thailand, 1,000 from Singapore, 1,000 from Taiwan, 1,000 from Vietnam, 1,000 from Indonesia, 1,000 from Philippines, 1,000 from South Korea, 1,000 from Japan, 1,000 from Spain, 1,000 from Italy, 1,000 from France, 500 from Switzerland, 1,000 from the UK, 1,000 from Ireland, 1,000 from Germany, 1,000 from the Netherlands, 1,000 from Belgium, 1,000 from Denmark, 1,000 from Sweden, 1,000 from Croatia, 500 from Greece, 500 from UAE, 1,000 from South Africa and 500 from Kenya). 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. The age ranges for each generation were defined as: Gen Z 18-28, Millennials 29-44, Gen X 45-60, and Boomers 61+.

**Partner Survey commissioned by Booking.com of 3,715 Partners in Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, Thailand, UK, US between 3-16 February 2026.

About Booking.com:

Part of Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: BKNG), Booking.com’s mission is to make it easier for everyone to experience the world. By investing in the technology that helps take the friction out of travel, Booking.com’s marketplace seamlessly connects millions of travellers with memorable experiences every day. For more information, follow @bookingcom on social media or visit news.booking.com.