Online booking platforms: Towards making more sustainable choices

Abstract

Tourism has become an important contributor to many sustainability issues. In addition, online booking platforms have grown to become an increasingly used means of booking accommodation, which can be crucial for encouraging sustainability. Furthermore, the promotion of sustainable tourism (ST) and accommodation services at an international level has become essential. Although the number of sustainability-certified accommodation solutions has been increasing, limited attempts have been made to promote ST using online booking platforms. This study aims to identify whether the concept of sustainability has been integrated into online booking platforms. For the objective to be met, a representative sample of platforms were identified and then analysed both in terms of their content and by testing them. The results highlight that this concept has not been adequately integrated into such platforms and that the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted the priority from sustainability to health and safety issues. However, the opportunity to take advantage of the pandemic to promote ST is still possible.