Cluj-Napoca, among top cities for mindful travellers

City trips are one of the drivers for global travel, with the expectation that almost 800 million people will visit global urban destinations annually by 2025*. To help travellers research options for urban travel with less impact on a destination, travel search engine momondo.ro has launched the City Index for Mindful Travellers**. Out of 167 cities from 63 countries, Rotterdam secured the top spot, named the most attractive city destination for mindful travellers. Romanian city Cluj-Napoca landed in the 86th place, while its capital Bucharest finished 105th.

momondo’s City Index for Mindful travellers is an interactive guide, designed to help travellers consider sustainability-related aspects, such as airport carbon accreditation, local traffic or air quality, in city destinations all over the world as they plan their next trip. The Index analysed 167 cities in 63 countries across 28 factors to help conscious travellers make more informed travel decisions. The Index also features the option to personalize the results and filter by the factors which matter the most to travellers.

Europe is leading the way

Rotterdam, Amsterdam and Graz are the first 3 positions in momondo’s ranking, with the top 10 spots held by European cities. The Dutch port city Rotterdam has scored highest,  with its airport having an advanced carbon management system certified by Airport Carbon Accreditation, a large number of competitively-priced properties which have been qualified by Booking.com’s Travel Sustainable Program, a great urban rail network, and the widest length of cycling routes. Amsterdam, Netherlands, comes in 2nd, world-renowned for bike-friendly options and pedestrianised streets, with viable options for driving eco-friendly cars and a high concentration of EV charging stations. Graz, Austria, takes the 3rd spot, scoring with great rail links, plenty of EV charging stations, and a walking-only UNESCO World Heritage city centre to explore*.

Top 10 highest ranked cities according to momondo’s City Index for Mindful Travellers:

1. Rotterdam, Netherlands
2. Amsterdam, Netherlands
3. Graz, Austria
4. Trondheim, Norway
5. Munich, Germany
6. Helsinki, Finland
7. Stockholm, Sweden
8. Zurich, Switzerland
9. Gothenburg, Sweden
10. Vienna, Austria

Cluj-Napoca ahead of Bucharest in Romania

Cluj, coming 86th in the ranking, offers some of the most affordable eco-friendly car hire for prices on average 32% lower than other cars in the city.  The density of local markets and the opportunity to buy second-hand in Cluj is great for shopping without damaging the environment. And a great offering of museums will keep travellers entertained while digging deeper into Romanian culture and supporting the local community.

Even though it’s landed out of the top 100, Bucharest has a few things that responsible travellers will appreciate. Like Cluj, it also has some of the most cost-effective eco-friendly options for hiring a vehicle, with prices on average 38% lower than for conventional cars. As well as this, its urban rail infrastructure is of decent quality, meaning that travellers can experience all the great sights the Romanian capital has to offer moving around with less carbon emissions easier.

There many opportunities to see the world more responsibly

Vancouver in Canada storms onto the podium in North America being noted for its air quality. Tokyo in Japan reached the highest rank in the Asia-Pacific region. The Japanese capital’s local markets, theaters and art galleries are extremely accessible thanks to “pedestrian only” and designated bike roads. Santiago in Chile, took the grand prize in the Latin American ranking. Santiago offers the biggest reduction in average flight prices during the low season, with its airport being recognized for great carbon management according to Airport Carbon Accreditation. In Tunis, Tunisia, which leads the ranking in the Middle East and Africa, the density of markets and the opportunity to buy second-hand is great for delving into the local culture and benefiting the local economy.

*According to the ‘Global City Travel Report’ issued by Oxford Economics.

** City Index was created by KAYAK and its portfolio of travel brands, including momondo. 167 cities in 63 countries have been analysed across 28 factors based on external and momondo’s own search data from 01 March  – 22 September 2022. The insights collected are based on the latest available data.