Gradually, the sustainability of a holiday – and the sustainability credentials of the company they’re booking with – is growing in importance for customers.
So if you’re selling travel, you need to effectively communicate your sustainability credentials, values and products.
Agents and travel marketers need rigour, transparency and an understanding of how sustainability messaging is regulated to avoid accusations of "greenwashing" – the act of exaggerating or making vague or unsubstantiated claims.
If your marketing overstates impact or relies on sweeping statements, you risk getting into hot water.
In recent years, the focus of regulators has shifted from simply asking whether claims are false to asking whether they are potentially misleading, incomplete or lacking in context. This has led to some high profile rulings against travel brands.
In January 2025, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled against OTA eDreams for two adverts that described Puerto Rico as "a sustainable destination".
They also used the phrase "Discover our sustainable trips", which had been selected based on eDreams’ own internal criteria. The ASA concluded the evidence to show the destinations or trips were genuinely environmentally sustainable was lacking.
These rulings set a clear precedent for travel marketing. From the words chosen to the imagery you’re using, environmental claims have to be specific and clear, substantiated with credible evidence, and be neither exaggerated or misleading.
Alongside the ASA’s guidelines, which are based on the 2021 Green Claims Code, brands promoting their services in Europe will soon also have to factor in the legally-binding EU Green Directive, which could potentially mandate third-party verification of environmental claims.
When your agency or brand is in the business of inspiring customers and selling a dream holiday, that can all sound a bit scary and serious.
But agents and travel marketers can still talk up the sustainability without diminishing that dream, or overstepping regulations. More and more consumers want to hear about it, after all.
So here’s a reminder of some simple dos and don’ts agents and travel marketers can keep in mind.
