Booking.com has developed its travel sustainable programme to provide customers with more “transparent and credible” information to make an informed choice for their accommodation.
Celebrating one year since the launch of the programme, the company has introduced levels 1-3 for accommodation which signify the extent to which they have implemented “impactful sustainability practices”.
Accommodations that have made “huge commitments” towards sustainability are recognised with a certified badge, which is the highest level they can receive.
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Booking.com said the introduction of the new levels will see more than 400,000 properties be recognised for their efforts to operate more sustainably.
It said Italy is leading the way in number of properties which have received a travel sustainable badge, followed by France, Germany, Spain, the US, Brazil, India, the UK, Greece and Poland.
The levels have already been introduced and will appear on the Booking.com website and app over the coming weeks.
The company has also started displaying carbon emissions data for accommodation bookings in Europe to aid customers in their decision-making.
In addition, Booking.com has implemented a new search filter for fully electric and hybrid rental cars to make it easier for travellers to find more sustainable ground transport options.
Head of sustainability Danielle D’Silva said: “As we optimise and develop our travel sustainable programme further, our ambition is to continue making it easier for everyone to make more sustainable choices for their next trip.
“We’re examining every part of the trip on our platform and actively looking for ways to provide more information to travellers in a credible and trusted way.
“Whether it’s an apartment for a weekend getaway, an electric car for their upcoming road trip or carbon emissions data about a flight, our aim is to nudge our customers and partners towards these more responsible options and do our part to ensure a healthier future for our planet and industry.”