European and Greek hoteliers express strong concerns about the impact that climate change may have on their businesses in the coming years.
According to a survey by Statista and Booking.com entitled “The Titans of Travel”, which also uses data from the European Accommodation Barometer (2024), 41% of European hoteliers believe that climate change will have a strong or very strong impact on their businesses in the next three years.
Increased percentages are observed mainly in Southern Europe, the Netherlands, and the Scandinavian countries, which are increasingly threatened by extreme weather events such as drought and fires.
The percentage of hoteliers in Greece who are concerned about the impacts of climate change stands at 44%, with concerns being particularly prevalent among hoteliers in Portugal (59%), Sweden (46%), Spain (45%), Italy (44%), the Netherlands (43%), the UK (39%), Switzerland (38%), France (37%), Austria (30%) and Germany (24%).
While some hoteliers remain cautious, with 24% doubting the impact of climate change on their businesses, the overall trend suggests a growing recognition of the need to take drastic measures to address it. Driven by the desire to improve guest perceptions, achieve long-term cost savings, and attract sustainability-minded travelers, hotels overwhelmingly stated their intention to invest in sustainability initiatives in the coming year. Notably, 45% of businesses plan to allocate around a quarter of their investments to this priority, while around a third of hoteliers said they will invest little or nothing.
Over two-thirds of European hoteliers cite long-term cost savings as their main motivation for investing in sustainability, given the sharp increase in energy costs. In addition, 62% aim to improve guest perception and reputation, while 48% are motivated by the desire to obtain sustainability certifications.
