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15 minutes readContents
- What does “sustainable tourism” mean in 2026?
- Different terminology for “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” tourism
- How to identify a genuinely eco-friendly hotel
- How RateHawk makes it easier to find sustainable accommodation
- The best sustainable vacation destinations in 2026
- What actually makes a trip more sustainable?
- Tourist taxes, visitor caps, and access fees in 2026
- Greenwashing: The red flags to look out for
- Frequently asked questions for eco-friendly travel
What does “sustainable tourism” mean in 2026?
Sustainable tourism is when travelers take active steps to reduce their environmental footprint, while also trying to make a positive economic and social impact on the local community.
There are categories to consider: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability, and social and cultural sustainability. Here’s what they include:
- Environmental sustainability: Protecting ecosystems and reducing waste to protect wildlife. Also includes controlling mass tourism and managing energy consumption.
- Economic sustainability: Spending locally wherever possible to support local businesses, including hiring local guides, eating at family-owned restaurants, and buying souvenirs from small businesses.
- Social and cultural sustainability: Respecting local communities and protecting cultural heritage by avoiding overcrowding and displacing local residents.
Different terminology for “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” tourism
How to identify a genuinely eco-friendly hotel
The growth of environmentalism, especially amongst younger travelers, means that many hotels are now promoting themselves as being “eco-friendly.” However, these marketing claims can often be greenwashing in an attempt to tap into this growing niche. As a travel agent, it’s crucial to do your due diligence when suggesting accommodation options for clients who want an eco-friendly package.
Here are 4 things to check for every hotel:
- Is there a recognized third-party certification? Look out for GSTC-recognized certification programs and schemes like Green Key and EU Ecolabel.
- Check what the hotel’s certification actually covers. Some may reflect the hotel’s community and labor practices, while others may refer to their energy usage and waste management.
- Check if the hotel’s certification is currently valid. The certificate should be accessible through the hotel’s website or by contacting the hotel directly.
- Is there evidence to support the hotel’s marketing? Look for measurable targets, published eco policies, and any specific information about energy or water use.
Many hotels are now promoting themselves as being “eco-friendly.”
Photo by Luiz Gonzaga on Unsplash
How RateHawk makes it easier to find sustainable accommodation
We’ve made it easier for travel agents to find eco-friendly accommodation with our Sustainability certification search filter and with eco labels on hotel pages. Once your client has chosen their destination and budget, you can use RateHawk to compare certified sustainable accommodation options to curate the type of package that aligns with their priorities.
The best sustainable vacation destinations in 2026
1. Costa Rica: Sustainability built around conservation
Costa Rica is an eco-friendly destination as over 25% of its land is protected, while 98% of its electricity comes from renewable sources. The country is currently working on reversing its deforestation, increasing its forest cover from just over 20% in the 1980s to almost 60% today.
Costa Rica is an eco-friendly destination.
Photo by Sterling Lanier on Unsplash
The Costa Rica Tourism Board is driving eco-tourism in the region by encouraging eco-friendly lodging and community-based travel. Many itineraries for the country focus on conservation-linked projects. 6% of the Earth’s biodiversity is held within Costa Rica, with the tourism board having developed its own Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST) program with two levels, BASIC and ELITE, on a 1-5 scale.
Best for: This type of destination is ideal for wildlife enthusiasts, families, and adventure seekerswith its national parks, rainforest, volcanic landscape, and nature-focused lodges.
Although Costa Rica is more expensive than other nearby alternatives, such as Panama and Guatemala, it offers a world-class eco-tourism infrastructure with abundant wildlife.
RateHawk insight
RateHawk has two features to our search engine to help agents find sustainable options more easily:
- “Sustainability certification” search filter: You can search for sustainable hotels using a dedicated search filter, simplifying the process of finding sustainable options quicker. Activate the filter in the search bar, browse a wide range of eco-certified properties, and offer your clients stays that align with their values and needs.
- Eco label: Hotels with eco certifications display an eco label on their pages, providing instant visibility of their sustainability credentials.
2. Slovenia: An eco-friendly compact European city break
Slovenia is a destination that’s often overlooked by travel agents. Eco-tourism is strictly managed by the Slovenia Green Scheme, and almost 60% of the country’s land is covered by forests. Eco-conscious tourists will often visit Ljubljana, the Julian Alps, and Lake Bohinj to experience the diverse Alpine, Mediterranean, and Pannonian landscapes.
Eco-conscious tourists will often visit Ljubljana.
Photo by Eugene Kuznetsov on Unsplash
Although compact, Slovenia offers something for almost every type of traveler with its walkable cities, hiking routes, and mountain ranges. It makes it possible to combine a city and nature break without needing to add internal flights, thanks to its urban transport and tourism infrastructure.
Best for: As a travel agent, you could recommend Slovenia for European clients who don’t want a long-haul flight, active travelers,and those who want a slow travel itinerary. By nature of being a compact destination, there can be limited accommodation inventory, so Slovenian trips should be booked well in advance.
3. Norway: Easy to navigate but expensive
Norway is one of Europe’s most sustainable countries, but also one of its most expensive. Almost 90% of its domestic electricity comes from renewable hydropower, and Norway is leading the way in electric vehicle uptake.
Norway is one of Europe’s most sustainable countries.
Photo by Dong Zhang on Unsplash
Best for: The country is popular amongst environmentalists and wildlife enthusiasts for its hiking routes, scenic destinations, and the fjords. It’s easy to curate an eco-friendly itinerary with rail- and ferry-based travel to explore Norway and other nearby Scandinavian countries without needing to book internal flights.
4. Palau: A leader in environmental conservation
Palau is a leader in environmental conservation, protecting 80% of its marine territory from commercial fishing. It’s an ideal destination for active travelers who want to take part in activities like diving and snorkeling, alongside experiencing marine environments and island hopping.
Visitors to Palau stamp a promise into their passport to protect the islands for future generations, and Palau is also famous for creating the world’s first shark sanctuary, which protects over 100 species from finning and overfishing.
However, Palau may not be suitable for all travelers as it’s a long-haul destination, creating a high-emission journey that some clients may not think is worth it.
5. Bhutan: Controlled visitor and tourism policies
Bhutan is a country that legally requires at least 60% of its land to remain under forest cover, and it’s almost entirely run on clean hydropower. Its thick forest absorbs more carbon dioxide than it produces, making it a rare carbon-negative country.
The country also has a controlled visitor model with a daily fee that’s used to fund local green projects. Over half of Bhutan’s land sits in protected parks and green animal corridors. However, just like other destinations on this list, Bhutan is not budget-friendly, but there are ways to make it more affordable by visiting during off-peak times.
6. The Azores: An eco-friendly beach getaway
The Azores is a popular eco-friendly destination for nature-focused itineraries, including for travelers who want to experience whale-watching and those who want an island getaway in Europe beyond the Mediterranean. This region of Portugal consists of 90% green spaces, with an estimated 40% of its electricity coming from clean energy.
The Azores is a popular eco-friendly destination for nature-focused itineraries.
Photo by Anna Jewels on Unsplash
Best for: There’s plenty of outdoor tourism to experience in the Azores, particularly for hiking enthusiasts.Travelers who want an eco-friendly vacation that won’t break the bank can visit the area of Portugal during the shoulder season, especially as limited accommodation inventory can lead to dynamic pricing during the summer months.
7. Japan beyond Tokyo: Going beyond tourist hot spots
Japan has become one of the most popular travel destinations in the world, but there’s more to explore beyond Tokyo. It’s a great example of how you can make an existing itinerary more sustainable by making just a few changes.
Japan has become one of the most popular travel destinations in the world.
Photo by Pourya Gohari on Unsplash
By visiting rural destinations and taking advantage of Japan’s public transport, including its Shinkansen bullet trains, travelers can embrace “slow travel” and plan a longer stay in a small number of places without relying on flights. Although the country is seeing an influx of travelers, it’s working to balance its high visitor numbers by encouraging travel to rural areas and limiting visitors to protected historical sites.
8. Chilean Patagonia: Leader in conservation in South America
Clients heading to South America can make the most of their time in the region by heading to Chilean Patagonia. It’s best explored as part of a longer South American itinerary to reduce emissions, rather than visiting as a single long-haul destination.
Chilean Patagonia is famous for its blue glaciers, fjords, lakes, and granite peaks.
Photo by Alain Bonnardeaux on Unsplash
The region spans over 1,000 miles and is famous for its blue glaciers, fjords, lakes, and granite peaks. Its protected landscapes, national parks, and wildlife experiences create plenty of opportunities for a conservation-led itinerary for both luxury travelers and adventure seekers.
What actually makes a trip more sustainable?
The destination isn’t the only thing to consider when planning an eco-friendly vacation. Here are 5 ways to make a trip more sustainable, regardless of the destination:
Embracing slow travel
Slow travel is the backbone of sustainability, prompting tourists to spend longer in one destination to reduce their carbon footprint and avoid taking multiple flights per trip. Instead of spending 7 nights in 3 different cities, a slower itinerary would focus on just 2 destinations over a longer 10-night vacation.
Slow travel is the backbone of sustainability, prompting tourists to spend longer in one destination.
Photo by Sara Dubler on Unsplash
As a travel agent, you can promote slow travel by curating itineraries that focus on deeper local experiences and avoid one-night stays where possible.
Choose transport methods early, then decide how to offset
Transportation is often the most expensive – and impactful – part of a vacation package. If your client wants to offset the carbon footprint of their vacation, it’s important to choose their transport first to better estimate their actual emissions.
RateHawk insight
At RateHawk, we provide a comprehensive transfer service to elevate your clients’ travel experience and supercharge your offerings. With coverage in more than 165 countries, our platform presents a diverse selection of reliable and safe transfer options. In 2025, we further enhanced transfers by launching the electric vehicle category, giving your clients even more flexibility and eco-friendly choices!
Traveling during off-peak times
Choosing to travel during off-peak times helps reduce pressure on local infrastructure and better distributes visitor spending to support the local economy year-round. This can often be a win-win for travelers who are able to access cheaper accommodation prices with fewer crowds at popular attractions.
Spending locally
The key to planning an economically sustainable vacation is to spend locally. Eco-friendly travelers will prioritize staying at locally owned accommodation, hiring local guides, and eating at independent restaurants where possible. Spending locally helps support the local community and leaves a positive impact behind.
Tourist taxes, visitor caps, and access fees in 2026
Some destinations have taken matters into their own hands, implementing visitor caps, access fees and tourist taxes to try to limit the environmental impact of travel.
As a travel agent, it’s important to be aware of these visitor caps and fees as they can make the booking process more complicated. You may need to book accommodation even earlier and ensure that clients have paid their visitor fee or levy ahead of their arrival.
Greenwashing: The red flags to look out for
Greenwashing is when a company makes vague or deliberately misleading claims or marketing statements to appear more environmentally friendly. As consumers become increasingly conscious of their environmental footprint, it’s not surprising that more companies are claiming to offer “green” and “sustainable” travel options.
As a travel agent, there are several red flags to look out for:
- If a hotel makes a vague claim of being “eco-friendly” without any certification
- If there are only a few small eco-friendly practices that are highly visible, such as reusable bottles and a towel reuse policy
- If a hotel claims to be “carbon neutral” without being transparent about how emissions are measured, how they’re reduced, how they’re offset, and what standard supports the claim
- If wildlife experiences are marketed as “conservation” work without knowing where visitor money is going or if the operator is a recognized conservation leader
Frequently asked questions for eco-friendly travel
Book eco-friendly accommodation with RateHawk’s sustainability search filters
How we approach eco-friendly travel is changing in 2026 as tourists become informed about their carbon footprint and the environmental impact of travel. Many tourists are now choosing to travel less often, but stay longer, while going during off-peak times when possible. Tourists want to be able to make better-informed choices, including about the trade-offs they’ll likely have to make.
Many tourists are now choosing to travel less often, but stay longer, while going during off-peak times when possible.
Photo by Omar Eagle on Unsplash
As a travel agent, you can help your clients book eco-friendly vacation packages by suggesting properties that are certified as being sustainable. Join RateHawk today and get access to our extensive inventory of eco-friendly hotels across the globe, including our advanced planning tools and search filters to find the best accommodation for your clients.
Cover image: Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash
