Agoda's top tips for sustainable travel

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SINGAPORE, June 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- To mark World Environment Day on 5 June, Agoda shares tips on how to actively become a more conscious, responsible traveler. Here are some ideas to minimize water, fuel and energy consumption and travel more sustainably.

1. Drive less, walk more
Bangkok Tree House, Thailand sits proudly in Bangkok's so-called "Green Lung", an apt nickname for the government protected oasis that is Bang Krachao. The hotel is constructed with eco-friendly materials, powered by natural energy sources, and committed to clean environment. Its commitment stretches further by purposely not building a driveway from main road along the path leading up to the property, instead this city-based oasis encourages you to get on your bike and go explore the area.

2. Battle of bottles
You'll find a great number of Agoda's partners committed to reducing plastic waste. Take Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen hotel, which no longer provides plastic mineral bottled water, and instead offers water from a special filtration system. This action has reduced waste of more than 6,000 single-use plastic mineral water bottles a year. Additionally, more and more hotels globally now provide bath amenities (soap, shampoo, conditioner) in refillable dispensers instead of stocking individual size toiletries.

3. Switch off
Don't just switch off mentally, turn off the aircon too. Did you know that a typical hotel releases about 160kg of CO2/m2 of floor area, equivalent to about 10 tons per guestroom? Instead, forego the glaring indoor lights and blasting aircon and make the most of escaping to the beach and enjoy the sunshine and sea breeze.

Recognized as a top eco lodge by National Geographic Traveler, the villa's design at Six Senses Con Dao, Vietnam features floor-to-ceiling glass windows to allow guests basking on sunshine and enjoying natural sea breeze encouraging less usage of aircon and lights.

4. Get involved in environmentally focused activities
Crystal Creek Meadows villa, Kangaroo Valley, Australia, winner of the Advanced EcoTourism Certification in 2005, the Qantas Australian Tourism Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism in 2009 and 2013 and TripAdvisor Green Leader in 2016, invites guests to 'plant a tree' to help ongoing efforts to provide a habitat for native birds and wildlife such as brush-tailed rock-wallabies and wombats during their visit.

5. Support local and eco-friendly businesses when travelling
The Dusun's story started in 1984 as a family retreat in Seremban, Malaysia. Since 2010 it has been operating as a nature resort, expanding from two houses to five, and accommodating up to 15 guests. The founding family nurtures a bond with the local community, hiring staff from nearby villages and supporting local entrepreneurs and other socially responsible businesses within the area.

6. Eat up and reduce food waste
About 25% of all food that passes through hotel kitchens is thrown out as food waste, and for every dinner any given hotel serves, about 350 grams is thrown away.

Crieff Hydro hotel in UK has been successfully 'repurposing' food from leftovers, such as making bread and butter pudding for desserts using leftover breakfast breads.

About Agoda

Agoda is one of the world's fastest-growing online travel booking platforms. Established in 2005, the start-up quickly expanded in Asia and was acquired in 2007 by Booking Holdings Inc (Nasdaq BKNG) -- the world's largest seller of rooms online. Agoda is headquartered in Singapore, with offices in more than 30 countries, and over 3,700 staff worldwide. It provides a network of over 1.8 million accommodation properties, including apartments, villas, homes, and hotels backed by over 22 million real traveler reviews. Agoda was a pioneer in non-hotel accommodation, offering villas and homes throughout the region from the very start.

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SOURCE Agoda