Bangkok – Airbnb has been committed to promoting and supporting healthy, sustainable tourism since the very beginning more than 10 years ago. Today, we’re seeing a similar dedication to the environment from our guests in their travel choices, and hosts in their offerings.
In the last year alone:
- More than 4.5 million guests around the world checked in at eco-friendly listings on the platform.
- Global bookings increased by 50 percent for environmentally-conscious spaces*.
- Eco-friendly listings grew 30 percent globally over the past year**.
Having recently celebrated half a billion guests arrivals at Airbnb listings worldwide since the company was founded, Airbnb’s community model helps fight growing mass tourism and overcrowding in Thailand through local and unique recommendations, especially through eco-friendly Homes and Experiences.
With mass tourism a key revenue earner for the country and having welcomed almost 40 million tourist arrivals in 2018, Thailand’s legacy destinations and natural resources are increasingly under pressure from the economics of mass tourism and environmental change. Today, more and more Thai Airbnb hosts are providing guests with the opportunity to immerse themselves in nature and reduce their carbon footprint while away from home.
Hosts Lyanne and Marcelo, for example are providing unique, eco-friendly accommodations to guests in Florianópolis, Brazil. All five listings on their home property are built by hand, utilizing unused spaces and recycled materials, and they are developing solar water heating on the property. They also educate their guests about how to travel greener, teaching them how to collect unfiltered rainwater and use runoff from outdoor showers to irrigate gardens.
Asia Pacific destinations with the highest percentage of eco-friendly listings include:
- Trat, Thailand
- Sabah, Malaysia
- Rāmnagar, India
- South Grafton, Australia
- Niseko, Japan
- Gangwon, South Korea
- Lugu, Taiwan
Destinations with the highest percentage of eco-friendly listings on Airbnb*** are all steps away from nature and considered small-town escapes from the hustle and bustle of their surrounding major cities. From a treehouse in a teakwood forest in Thailand to an eco bamboo hideout in the mountains of Bali’s Mount Agung and an eco-luxe recycled shipping container in Australia, Airbnb has a vast collection of Homes that are reducing the impact on the planet while providing guests the chance to give back to Mother Earth.
Unique eco-friendly nature-themed Experiences are especially popular with Thailand guests. Here is a sample:
- Unseen Doi Inthanon National Park Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Grand Canyon Thailand Nature Walk, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Bamboo Bicycle Tour in Green Bangkok!, Bangkok, Thailand
- Hiking to Nateen View Point, Krabi, Thailand
- Visit Authentic Hill Tribe Villages, Chiang Mai, Thailand
Guests on Airbnb can fuel their affinity for the environment by exploring the variety of Experiences that both benefit the planet and introduce them to passionate local experts and advocates in environmental sustainability – either in their hometown or when traveling. Some of these are Social Impact Experiences, where Airbnb works with non-profit organisations to develop Experiences that will most help the communities they serve, and waives all fees so that 100% of proceeds go directly to the nonprofit.
Airbnb is working to bring environmentally conscious travel to even more people
For example, Airbnb’s Community Tourism Programme is partnering with My Green Trip, a growing network of eco-friendly travelers dedicated to organizing community clean-ups and sharing sustainable travel habits. This year, Airbnb are committing 5 million euros to support efforts to make travel more authentic and sustainable.
In China, Airbnb has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Friends of Nature, a prominent NGO focusing on environmental protection issues. Through the MoU, Airbnb will work with Friends of Nature to promote sustainable tourism in China, host a series of lectures to educate the Airbnb community on sustainable tourism, and conduct workshops for hosts on sustainable hospitality standards and practices.