More than half (52 per cent) of all global travellers report that they are likely to choose a destination based on its social or environmental impact in 2015, a new survey from Booking.com has revealed.

The survey of 32,000 travellers from 16 countries suggests that attitudes towards sustainable travel are evolving, but that travellers are also looking for luxury while reducing their carbon footprints.

Brazilian respondents were most interested in sustainable travel, with 74 per cent saying their plans would be influenced by their potential social or environmental impact, while 59 per cent of Australians and 53 per cent of Americans said the same. At the other end of the spectrum, just 36 per cent of Danish respondents and 39 per cent of Dutch respondents said they would base a decision on these concerns.

Those respondents who were concerned with sustainable travel were also 50 per cent more likely to plan to book more luxury accommodations in 2015 than in 2014, the survey found, and three times more likely to want to stay in ‘green’ accommodations – creating a unique opportunity for those in our industry with an eco-spa focus.

"Sustainable travel is more than just 'going green' – it's also about helping to support and retain local cultures, economies and environments while traveling,” said Todd Dunlap, managing director, Americas, for Booking.com. “Most people don't know how easy it is to weave sustainability into the types of trips they already want to take."