Booking.com is ending its sustainability program after the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) labeled it as misleading.
ACM announced this on Monday.
After discussions with ACM, Booking.com has decided to take its so-called Travel Sustainable program (formerly: Sustainable Travel) offline with immediate effect.
Through this program, affiliated accommodations receive a score (‘level’) with one or more green leaves on the Booking website. The scores range from 1 to 3+, depending on sustainability efforts of accommodations.
ACM assessed the presentation of this programme as misleading. The Travel Sustainable claim may falsely give the impression that travel is sustainable, says the consumer watchdog.
‘It was also not sufficiently clear which aspects the claim covers, which can create a distorted picture of the actual sustainability efforts of accommodations.’
Booking.com removes the incorrect sustainability claims of the Travel Sustainable program worldwide…