Booking.com’s latest sustainability report shows climate risk is no longer a background concern, it’s now a front-and-centre factor in how people across Asia Pacific plan, book, and rethink travel.
According to Booking.com’s 11th annual Travel & Sustainability Report, climate anxiety has officially entered the travel planning process. The report surveyed 32,500 travellers across 35 markets and found that 79% of Asia Pacific travellers now factor in the risk of extreme weather when choosing both where and when to travel. More tellingly, 44% have already cancelled or changed a trip in the past 12 months due to climate-related disruptions like heatwaves, floods, wildfires, or storms.
Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Booking.com, told WiT that, “Extreme weather is no longer viewed by travellers as a rare or isolated disruption, but a mainstream consideration in how people plan their trips.”
The shift is being driven by a combination of lived experience and heightened media visibility. Travellers aren’t just reading about climate events, many are encountering them firsthand. And with real-time social media coverage amplifying disruptions before a trip even begins, perception is shaping behaviour just as much as reality.
“Travellers today are placing greater emphasis on predictability and peace of mind when making travel decisions as holidays are a major financial investment, so people are becoming more intentional about reducing the risk of disruption,” says Houldsworth.
The report highlights that more than half of all respondents (56%) said certain destinations had become too hot to visit at the time they wanted to go, and 63% had removed a destination from their wish list entirely after seeing news of extreme weather or natural disasters.
Laura Houldsworth, Managing Director for Asia Pacific at Booking.com, told WiT, “Extreme weather is no longer viewed by travellers as a rare or isolated disruption, but a mainstream consideration in how people plan their trips.”
Crowds, timing, and cooler climates
Beyond weather risk, travellers are also rethinking the fundamentals of where and when they go. In APAC, 40% plan to avoid overcrowded tourist destinations, 47% intend to travel outside of peak season, and 28% are actively seeking cooler destinations. Of those avoiding busy spots, 36% cite a desire not to contribute to overtourism, a sign that awareness of tourism’s social impact is growing alongside environmental concerns.
“Responsible travel in 2026 is becoming a more intentional and experience-led way of travelling across APAC,” said Houldsworth.
She adds that this shift carries its own rewards, saying “Travelling outside peak periods, exploring lesser-known destinations and spending more time engaging with local communities can often lead to trips that feel more authentic, relaxed and meaningful.”
The intention-action gap
Despite the strong signals, the report also highlights that while 88% of APAC travellers say sustainable travel is important or very important to them, the link between intention and action is still inconsistent, and it breaks down in unexpected ways across generations.
Younger travellers express the strongest sustainability intentions, with 80% of Gen Z and 76% of Millennials saying they want to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months, compared to just 48% of Boomers. But when it comes to actual behaviours, the picture flips. Among those planning to travel more sustainably, 75% of Boomers say they’ll reduce general waste, versus 50% of Gen Z. Boomers also lead on reducing energy consumption (63% vs 45% Gen Z) and shopping at local independent stores (63% vs 40% Gen Z). And it’s Boomers who are most likely to travel off-peak (67%), compared to 35% of Gen Z.
Younger generations aren’t absent from the sustainability story, though.
They’re more likely to engage in cultural and ecological experiences. 34% of Gen Z participated in a tour involving local indigenous cultures in the past year, compared to 21% of Boomers. And 27% of Gen Z participated in activities contributing to ecosystem or wildlife conservation, versus 13% of Boomers.
The industry’s role and AI’s growing place in it
Houldsworth is clear that travel platforms have a responsibility to step up here. “As climate uncertainty and overtourism increasingly shape travel decisions, the industry has an important role to play in helping travellers make more informed choices around when and where they travel.”
Across APAC, 39% of travellers want advice on the best times of year to avoid overcrowding, and 37% are looking for recommendations on alternative destinations. Meanwhile, 24% believe travel websites have a responsibility to educate people on tourism’s impact, and 31% say they trust information from those platforms.
On that front, AI is emerging as an increasingly relevant layer. “We are seeing clear indicators that travellers are already using technology and AI-enabled tools to make more climate-conscious travel decisions,” she says. “Booking.com’s Global AI Sentiment Report found that 51% of APAC travellers would use AI to receive real-time travel updates related to bad weather, delays and cancellations for future trips, while 44% would use AI during the trip itself to receive live weather updates and disruption alerts.
“What this tells us is that travellers are increasingly expecting technology to help reduce uncertainty and support more informed decision-making throughout the travel journey,” Houldsworth explains. “AI can help surface relevant alternatives, identify emerging demand shifts more quickly and provide travellers with more personalised recommendations based on factors such as seasonality, crowd levels, climate comfort and traveller preferences.”
Action at scale
In 2025, travellers booked more than 100 million room nights on Booking.com at properties displaying a third-party sustainability certification. Nearly half of each generational cohort in APAC – Boomers (46%), Millennials (38%), Gen X (37%), and Gen Z (37%) – say they plan to stay at a certified property in the next 12 months.
“There is opportunity for the industry to help distribute tourism demand more evenly, support destinations sustainably and create better experiences for both travellers and local communities over the long term,” says Houldsworth.
