Agoda Survey Reveals Growing Interest for Experiences that Protect Nature and Support Local Communities

With 35% of travelers seeking more nature and community-supporting tours, partners can tap into experience-led interest through Agoda's Eco Deals program in partnership with WWF

SINGAPORE, May 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital travel platform Agoda's 2026 Sustainable Travel Survey reveals a growing interest in travel experiences that create meaningful connections and tangible impact on local communities. In Asia, 35% of travelers express a desire for more tours and experiences that protect the environment and support local communities, surpassing the 26% who prioritize accommodations with recognized sustainability certifications. This trend underscores a growing preference for travel choices that feel purposeful and deeply connected to the destinations.

Emphasis on sustainable travel is becoming a more central consideration in trip planning across the region. Over three-quarters of Asian travelers (77%) consider sustainability important when choosing travel options in 2026, up from 68% last year. Thailand leads the region, with 95% prioritizing sustainability in their 2026 travel choices, followed by Indonesia (93%), India (88%), Malaysia (88%) and Taiwan (83%). This momentum is expected to continue with 83% indicating that sustainable travel will matter to them over the next three years. Travel operators can respond to and sustain this growing interest with more localized offerings.

At the recent GSTC Sustainable Tourism Conference held in Phuket, Thailand, Agoda shared how slow travel can support more balanced tourism growth. Done well, immersive local experiences can encourage dispersion by moving foot traffic beyond well-known hubs into communities in secondary destinations that can benefit from sustainable growth, while longer stays help spread economic benefits.

Agoda also pointed to two sustained trends it is seeing across the region, with repeat travelers looking to try new things each time they return and long haul travelers choosing longer stays and new experiences to get more out of their trips.

"Travelers are looking for more purposeful involvement in the destinations they visit, looking for ways to contribute to local growth and nature preservation as part of their journey," said Andrew Smith, Senior Vice President, Supply at Agoda. "As travelers explore beyond the usual gateways, the opportunity for communities in secondary destinations to benefit from tourism dollars spreading more widely continues to increase. Through initiatives like Eco Deals, we enable travelers to explore Asia affordably while giving back to the local ecosystems and communities that make these places so special."

The survey suggests that the strongest motivations behind sustainable travel are based on local benefit and connection. Nearly a third (29%) of surveyed travelers prioritize ensuring their travel spend directly benefits local people and businesses, while 28% value building a deeper, more genuine connection with the destination. This mindset is echoed in how travelers view responsible tourism, with 38% believing its biggest potential impact is economic growth for local businesses, reinforcing the opportunity for the industry to design travel that spreads benefits more widely through communities.

Traveler behavior is already moving in that direction, with nearly half (48%) saying they travel during off-peak seasons to reduce overcrowding, making decongestion the most common sustainability action in the study. Together, these signals point to travelers who are ready for more sustainable options and expect them to be easy to discover and seamlessly bookable as part of a trip.

Agoda is helping convert responsible travel interests into partner opportunities through its Eco Deals program in partnership with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), which enables travelers to support conservation while securing great value on their stays. Eco Deals reflects Agoda's highest funding commitment to date of US$1.5 million supporting WWF's conservation projects across 10 markets, while continuing to provide travelers savings of up to 15% through 18 December and donating US$1 to WWF for every completed program booking at participating properties.

Travelers can identify participating accommodations through dedicated program pages and on-site identification features across Agoda's platforms and support longer-term conservation impact through its Eco Deals program. For more information, visit www.agoda.com/ecodeals.

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source: Agoda