The landscape of European vacation rentals is undergoing a green transformation. As travelers increasingly prioritize eco-friendly accommodations sustainable holiday homes are becoming the norm rather than the exception. This shift is particularly evident in popular summer destinations like Italy, Germany, and Switzerland, where nearly two in five rentals now carry a sustainability label.
Interhome, a leading holiday-home rental specialist in Europe, released its inaugural Sustainable Summer Booking Trends analysis on July 21, 2026. The data reveals a significant uptick in sustainable bookings, with the share of summer stays carrying a sustainability label rising from 16.7% in 2026 to 29.5% in 2026 across Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. This marks a substantial increase, reflecting a growing demand for environmentally responsible travel options.
Italy Takes the Lead in Sustainable Rentals
When examining the data by country, Italy emerges as the frontrunner in sustainable vacation rentals. In 2026, Italy recorded the highest sustainable booking share at 40.1%, followed closely by Germany at 36.1% and Switzerland at 35.9%. Spain matched the five-market average with 29.3%, while France lagged behind at 16.1%. This disparity is attributed to varying stages of market development rather than a lack of traveler interest.
The data also highlights specific features that have seen the most significant improvements. Recycling facilities showed the strongest cumulative gains across all five markets, particularly in France, Italy, and Spain. Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations progressed notably in France and Switzerland, while solar panel installations advanced in Italy and Spain. These trends align with the countries’ solar resources and national energy policies.
The Significance of Sustainability Labels
Not all sustainability labels are created equal, and this distinction has become more critical over the past five years. Interhome’s current label, ECOmodation was launched in 2026 in collaboration with Professor Strasdas from the Centre for Sustainable Tourism at Eberswalde University and Dr. Roßmannek from the University of Freiburg. To earn this certification, properties must meet 24 defined ecological and social criteria, including the use of 100% renewable energy, environmentally friendly heating, recycling facilities, EV charging access, water-saving fixtures, and proximity to public transport.
Before the introduction of ECOmodation, Interhome used a less stringent certification system that required properties to meet at least seven of twelve criteria. The data published by Interhome spans both regimes, and the company’s press release does not detail how properties were classified in earlier years. This caveat is particularly relevant given the broader platform context. In March 2026, removed its “Travel Sustainable” badge after the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) declared the program “possibly misleading.” The regulator found that the badge’s name may wrongly give the impression that traveling is sustainable and that some qualifying measures did not constitute meaningful improvements.
European lawmakers proposed the EU Green Claims Directive in 2026 to require companies to substantiate voluntary environmental claims with third-party verification. This standard is already met by Interhome’s ECOmodation label through BEESark, an independent Austrian firm that handles both digital and on-site audits. The proposal was subsequently withdrawn by the European Commission in June 2026 amid political disagreement over compliance burdens for small businesses. Separately, the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT) Directive, adopted in March 2026, introduces binding anti-greenwashing rules that enter enforcement across EU member states from September 2026.
Finding a Sustainably Labeled Rental in Europe
For travelers seeking to book a sustainably labeled rental, Interhome’s website offers a practical solution. Users can filter the portfolio of over 70,000 holiday homes across more than 20 European countries using a sustainability filter. Properties carrying the ECOmodation label are clearly marked in the search results and accommodation descriptions. Additionally, Interhome provides each property’s calculated CO₂e footprint per night at maximum occupancy, a feature introduced alongside the ECOmodation label.
It is worth noting that the ECOmodation label was initially expected to cover 5–10% of Interhome’s portfolio when first announced in 2026. While 29.5% of summer bookings went to labeled properties, the “labeled” designation in earlier years of the dataset reflected an older, less demanding certification. As the demand for sustainable travel options continues to grow, the supply of ECOmodation-certified properties is likely to expand, offering travelers more eco-friendly choices for their European getaways.
