Climate crisis reshapes travel choices as weather risks grow in 2026
Booking.com’s survey of more than 32,500 travellers finds extreme weather, safety and sustainability are driving interest in cooler, less crowded destinations.
- A survey of over 32,500 people found that 74% of travelers now consider extreme weather an important factor when planning trips.
- One in four travelers are actively seeking cooler destinations to avoid intensifying heatwaves in many regions.
- To reduce congestion and environmental impact, 43% of travelers are choosing to visit during the off-peak season or selecting secondary cities over popular tourist hotspots.
- While younger generations show strong intent for sustainable travel, Baby Boomers are more likely to take practical actions like saving energy and buying local products.
The climate crisis no longer affects only temperatures or disasters; it is visibly changing how people around the world travel.
Where tourists once chose destinations for their beauty or popularity, many now place greater weight on weather, safety and environmental impact, causing travel trends in 2026 to change significantly.
Booking.com’s annual sustainability survey, which gathered data from more than 32,500 travellers in several countries, found that 74% said extreme weather had become an important factor in travel planning, while one in four, or 25%, had begun looking for cooler destinations to avoid heatwaves that are intensifying in many regions of the world.
At the same time, the trend of avoiding crowded tourist destinations is gaining popularity, with 43% of respondents choosing to travel outside the peak season or switch to secondary cities instead of popular destinations, to reduce congestion and help spread income to new areas.
The report also reflects differences in behaviour between age groups. Although Gen Z and Millennials are the groups showing the strongest intention to travel sustainably, with 71-75% wanting to choose environmentally friendly trips and showing interest in activities linked to local communities or nature conservation, actual behaviour shows Baby Boomers taking more practical action.
This includes carrying reusable bags to reduce waste, saving energy at accommodation, buying products from local businesses and travelling outside the peak season, with a proportion as high as 63%, compared with 36% among Gen Z.
Among the most popular eco-friendly travel behaviours this year are carrying a reusable cup or avoiding single-use plastics, avoiding activities that affect wildlife, turning off lights and electrical appliances when leaving accommodation rooms, using public transport, bicycles or electric vehicles, and directly supporting local shops and businesses.
Although interest in sustainable travel has grown, many consumers still face limits in decision-making.
The survey also found that 42% of respondents see eco-friendly travel options as still hard to find and requiring considerable planning time, while 38% say they cost more than general alternatives, and 37% remain unsure whether businesses that present themselves as environmentally friendly are genuinely operating sustainably or are merely practising greenwashing to build a marketing image.
On the other hand, operators and local communities acknowledge that tourism helps generate income and stimulate local economies, with 60% viewing it as beneficial to communities.
However, tourism growth also brings traffic problems, crowding and rising volumes of waste, which remain major challenges that many areas must urgently address.
Against the backdrop of the effects of global boiling, sustainability is therefore no longer merely an environmental idea; it is becoming a key factor in modern travellers’ choice of destination.
Tourism operators, hotels and related businesses need to adapt quickly by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using clean energy, developing waste management systems and raising environmental standards to meet consumers’ growing expectations for more responsible travel in the future.
