Extreme weather is actively reshaping how and where people travel, with nearly a third of global travelers canceling or changing trip plans in the past 12 months due to climate-related disruptions, according to new research from Booking.com.
The findings come from the platform’s 11th annual Travel and Sustainability Report, which surveyed 32,500 travelers across 35 markets worldwide. The data points to a significant and growing shift in traveler behavior driven by climate anxiety.
Weather risk now central to travel planning
Nearly three quarters of all respondents say they now consider extreme weather risk when choosing both a destination (74%) and the timing of their trip (74%). A further 68% say they actively avoid destinations known for extreme weather conditions.
The emotional toll of climate uncertainty is also measurable. More than half of travelers (55%) say extreme weather makes trip booking stressful, and the same proportion (55%) say unpredictable weather makes it hard to know when to travel at all.
Destinations falling off the wish list
The consequences for specific destinations are stark. More than half of all those surveyed (55%) say certain destinations have become too hot to visit at the times they wanted to go, while 52% have removed destinations from their travel wish list entirely due to news of extreme weather or natural disasters.
Disruptions reported by travelers in the past 12 months include:
- Canceled or changed trip plans due to extreme weather or natural disasters such as high temperatures, storms, wildfires or floods: 31% of travelers globally
- Destinations removed from wish lists due to extreme weather or natural disaster news: 52%
- Destinations considered too hot to visit at preferred travel times: 55%
Hotels feel the pressure too
The disruption is not limited to travelers. A parallel survey of 3,715 hotel and accommodation providers across 18 countries found that the hospitality industry is also absorbing the impact of a changing climate.
- 24% of accommodation providers reported operational disruptions due to extreme weather in 2025
- 40% have adjusted their operations in response to existing or potential climate-related risks such as heatwaves or storms
The data suggests that climate risk is no longer an abstract concern for the travel industry but an operational reality affecting booking patterns, destination popularity and hotel management alike.
A new normal for all ages
Unlike many sustainability-related behaviors that vary significantly across generations, concern about extreme weather is consistent across all age groups surveyed. The report frames climate disruption as one of the few travel issues that transcends the generational divide identified elsewhere in the research.
“This year’s Travel and Sustainability Report shows that while generations may have different understandings of what constitutes more sustainable travel, adapting to extreme weather and actively avoiding crowds are now norms at all ages,” said Danielle D’Silva, Director of Sustainability, Booking.com.
The findings form part of Booking.com’s broader annual research into consumer attitudes toward the social and environmental impact of travel, now in its 11th year.
Photo Credit: Jaromir Chalabala / Shutterstock.com
