A new global survey of 32,500 travelers across 35 countries found that 85% consider sustainable travel important, according to Booking.com’s 11th annual Travel & Sustainability Report. About a third of every generation, from Gen Z to Baby Boomers, plans to stay at a certified sustainable accommodation in 2026, yet the report also uncovers a persistent gap between intention and follow-through. One form of travel already meets nearly every marker of sustainability without asking travelers to chase a single certification: home exchange.

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- 85% of the 32,500 travelers surveyed by Booking.com across 35 countries call sustainable travel important in 2026.
- About a third of every generation plans to stay at a certified sustainable accommodation this year, the report’s 11th edition found.
- Younger travelers report stronger sustainability intentions but follow through less often than older generations.
- Home exchange sidesteps the gap by design: no new construction, no extra accommodation footprint, no certification to research.

A Record Survey Points to a Clear Appetite for Greener Trips

Booking.com’s 2026 report, its largest and most comprehensive to date, surveyed 32,500 travelers in 35 countries and territories in January 2026. The results point to real momentum: travelers recorded 100 million room nights at certified sustainable accommodations in 2025, and the number of accommodations carrying third-party sustainability certifications grew 22% year on year, to roughly 28,000. Eighty-five percent of respondents said sustainable travel matters to them, a striking figure for an industry historically slow to change.

Wanting to Travel Sustainably Is Not the Same as Doing It

The report also surfaces a generational paradox. Seventy-five percent of Gen Z travelers say they intend to travel sustainably in 2026, compared with 47% of Baby Boomers. Yet the numbers flip on actual behavior: 67% of Boomers plan to reduce waste while traveling, compared with only 48% of Gen Z. Intention is easier to declare than to act on, and finding a genuinely sustainable stay can still mean comparing eco-labels or trusting a badge on a search page.

Why Home Exchange Skips the Guesswork Entirely

Home exchange removes that friction because it does not add anything to the world’s accommodation footprint. Exchangers stay in homes that already exist, heated, furnished, and maintained regardless of whether a guest is there that week. There is no new construction, no incremental laundry or energy load layered onto a commercial building, and no certification scheme to evaluate, because the sustainability is structural rather than marketed. A family swapping a house in Lyon for one in Lisbon is engaging in an inherently low-impact way to travel, whether or not they set out with that goal in mind.

Traveling Like a Local, Off the Beaten Path

The report also found that 43% of travelers plan to avoid overcrowded destinations in 2026, an 11-point jump from the previous year, while 42% intend to travel during off-peak seasons. Home exchange lines up naturally with both trends. Exchangers tend to land in residential neighborhoods rather than hotel districts, spreading tourism’s footprint across a city instead of concentrating it downtown, and longer, flexible stays make off-season trips easy to plan. The behaviors travelers say they want to adopt in 2026 are the same ones home exchange has always required.

Experience the Authenticity of Sustainable Travel with HomeExchange

With HomeExchange, you can live that rhythm like a local. Choose from a traditional house, a beachfront villa, or an urban apartment in the heart of a city. Each home offers a unique perspective.

HomeExchange lets you experience true belonging while saving on accommodation costs. Immerse yourself in the local community and enjoy the comforts of a home away from home.

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