Sustainability is increasingly influencing how people in the UAE plan and experience their holidays, with nearly three-quarters of travellers now intentionally choosing more sustainable travel options, according to a new report by Trip.com Group.
The company’s 2026 Sustainable Travel Consumer Report found that 72.8% of UAE respondents actively opted for more sustainable travel choices, while 96.3% said sustainability was important when making travel decisions.
The findings suggest a shift in consumer behaviour, with environmental considerations increasingly influencing decisions about transport, accommodation and destinations.
Cost remains a major barrier
Environmental responsibility was the leading motivation for choosing more sustainable travel options, cited by 74% of respondents. Preserving destinations for future generations was another major consideration, at 61.3%, while 59.5% said supporting local economies and communities motivated their choices.
However, higher prices remain a significant obstacle, cited by 39.8% of respondents, followed by limited availability of sustainable options (33.5%) and concerns about greenwashing (26.8%).
Price (64.1%) and quality and comfort (61.8%) continue to be the leading considerations when selecting travel options.
Nature and local experiences gain appeal
Exploring nature and outdoor destinations was the most preferred sustainable travel experience among UAE respondents, at 53.8%, followed by experiencing local culture and heritage (44.5%) and staying in hotels with strong sustainability practices (37.8%).
Good public transport and lower-carbon mobility would increase interest in visiting a destination for 56% of respondents, while 50.6% cited the protection of natural and cultural heritage.
Extreme weather influences travel plans
The report found that 81.8% of UAE travellers had changed at least one aspect of their travel plans because of extreme weather, suggesting that climate-related concerns are also becoming a factor in travel planning.
Younger travellers lead the shift
Nearly seven in 10 Gen Z respondents (69.5%) said they had intentionally chosen more sustainable travel options, compared with 63% of Millennials, 50.6% of Gen X and 40.6% of Boomers.
Demand grows for transparency
Some 62.5% of respondents wanted more sustainable travel tips from online travel agencies, while 50.8% sought clearer sustainability labels. Another 40% said they would like a dashboard showing the carbon impact of their bookings.
The report also found that 92.3% of UAE respondents said sustainable travel offerings would influence their choice of online travel agency.
In response, Trip.com has introduced My Travel Impact, a feature in its app that brings information about travellers’ sustainability-related choices across hotels, flights and rail into a single dashboard.
