Planning your next holiday? Here’s how to spot and avoid greenwashing

More than ever, we try to make environmentally responsible travel choices. Sustainable travel is now less niche and more mainstream, with 93% of travelers in one survey saying they are considering sustainable choices.

That is why more and more hotels are certified. This means that they have been officially checked and approved to meet sustainability standards by an independent organization.

The World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance says hotels must reduce waste and emissions by as much as 66% by 2030 to achieve meaningful change. The World Travel and Tourism Council reports that more than 5,000 hotels worldwide have adopted the independent verification program.

Major chains, including Hilton, Marriott and Accor, have also set measurable sustainability goals. These commitments are shared with guests through hotel websites, signage in lobbies and cards placed in guest rooms.

So when it comes to booking accommodation, navigating the sheer volume of buzzwords and promises – ‘eco’, ‘sustainable’, ‘green’, ‘responsible’ – can feel overwhelming.

When planning your next trip, how can you check whether the sustainability claims live up to the promises?

Don’t believe all the claims

When hotels present themselves through marketing as environmentally friendly or sustainable, but do not live up to these claims, this is called greenwashing.

In our research, just published in the Journal of Vacation Marketing, we conducted focus groups with Australian travelers and asked them how well they understood hotels’ sustainability messages.

We’ve learned that guests don’t always believe claims. They considered simple actions, such as skipping daily room cleaning or turning off the air conditioning, as too small to really count. One traveler said:

They only mention reusing towels but nothing else, but what about food waste or cleaning chemicals?

The motives of hotels were also often questioned. Guests felt that hotels expected them to do most of the “green” work, such as reusing towels or using the in-room trash can.

That gave them the feeling that the responsibility was being passed on to them. It also raised suspicions that sustainability is disguised as cost savings, which undermined confidence in the hotels’ initiatives. Other travelers noted:

There were signs everywhere and to me it felt like they were trying too hard and making it look better than it actually was.

Hotels talk a lot about being green, but to me it feels more like branding than real action.

When the promises are backed by action

But when hotels explain exactly what they do, show evidence of their actions and admit where they are improving, guests feel more confident. They may even pay more for their stay.

What we found supports a growing consensus among travelers.

No one wants to fall for greenwashing, and consumers want to feel empowered to make the right choice for the environment. Guests want to know if they are at risk of supporting greenwashing so they can choose hotels whose efforts are verifiable.

Information is important. So if hotels misinterpret their message, they can undermine their customers’ trust.

In recent years, a number of registries have been set up to certify hotels’ sustainability actions. External registries are financially independent of the tourism sector and have minimum standards for registration.

Here you can read what you should pay attention to

Not everyone can become an expert in sustainability. That’s why we’ve put together a list of things to keep in mind when booking accommodation, and what you can do to help other travelers.

• Look for independent evidence. Book at hotels with recognized third-party certifications such as EarthCheck or Green Key. If no certifier is named and no explanation is given as to what was checked, treat the claim as marketing and not as evidence.

• Check for details. Reliable green claims use concrete details such as percentages, dates and clear actions. Phrases like ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘sustainable’ or ‘planet positive’ are too vague to be trusted without statistics or examples.

• Compare the statements with what you see. Test promises against reality. Reviews, guest photos and what you notice upon arrival should show real changes like refillable toiletries, recycling and less waste, not just posters.

• Question: who actually does the work? Many “eco” messages ask guests to reuse towels or skip cleaning, which are essentially cost-saving initiatives. Better signs are investments in efficient systems, the use of solar energy, water-saving fixtures and good recycling. If you only see the towel card, the balance is incorrect.

• Look for honesty about boundaries. No hotel is perfect, and honest people admit it. Brief explanations of current limitations with future goals are more credible than claims that they are fully sustainable.

• Beware of suspicious language and pressure. Be careful with absolute claims such as ‘zero impact’ or ‘100% sustainable’ without evidence. Also be wary of messages that make you feel guilty for seeking normal comfort.

• Use your power as a consumer. Ask simple questions before booking and notice how clearly the hotel answers. Also check independent review sites. After your stay, mention specific practices, good or bad, in your review to deter hotels from engaging in greenwashing behavior.

Not just a green label

Travel is changing, and so are travelers. More and more people want a holiday that feels good for themselves and for the planet.

Knowing what to look for can help you spot shaky green claims and choose hotels that match your values. That pressure is important. It encourages the industry to be authentic, cuts back on greenwashing and supports the hotels that actually do the work, not just slap a green label on the door.

We would like to thank Dr. Farah Shishan from the University of Jordan for his contribution to this study.