Exploreo Wins Luxembourg’s Top Tourism Innovation Award

On 14 November 2025, we stood on stage at Kulturfabrik in Esch-sur-Alzette as the winners of the Luxembourg Tourism Award for Best Innovation. The moment our name was called, everything felt surreal, and as we looked at each other, barely believing what had just happened, we proudly collected our first award.

For the team, this wasn't just an award; it was confirmation that what we've been building at Exploreo truly matters. It confirmed that sustainable travel has become a driving force in the tourism industry and that sustainability is no longer just a nice add-on; it is becoming a necessary part of the foundations of future travel.

What this recognition means for Exploreo

We started Exploreo with a clear mission: to make eco-friendly travel as effortless and inspiring as any great holiday should be. This means no additional hours spent researching whether a place is genuinely eco-friendly or just greenwashing before making a booking. We also want to erase the feeling that responsible travel is the harder choice because it costs more or takes more time.

We asked ourselves:

Would travellers embrace it?
Would the industry support it and evolve with it?
Would policymakers take action?

Winning the Best Innovation award at the Luxembourg Tourism Awards ceremony answered all these questions for us. Presented by the Ministry of the Economy and the Luxembourg Directorate for Tourism, the award signals something bigger than recognition for our platform. It means sustainable travel is now part of Luxembourg's official tourism strategy. It's on the political agenda, and decision-makers understand that tourism needs to change, and they're willing to support the companies trying to make that happen.

For a small team like ours building something new, this validation means everything.

Exploreo Co-Founders Priyanka and Arjen collecting their award from Minster Lex Delles for Best Innovation at the Luxembourg Travel Awards in November 2025

Building a better way to travel

Exploreo is an AI-powered platform that helps travellers find and book eco-certified stays and low-impact experiences across Europe. Our website verifies sustainability claims and shows you the carbon footprint, providing transparent carbon data to help travellers make informed decisions when booking their next holiday. Our database connects travellers with community-run properties and nature-focused guides, who care about protecting the places they share.

The award recognised several features that set us apart from other booking platforms:

AI Search

Our AI search doesn't just find you a place to stay, it presents you with accommodation options that align with your values. Whether you're looking for a mountain refuge, a coastal eco-lodge, or a working farm stay, Exploreo guides you there with transparency about what makes each place sustainable.

Verification Systems

We've built verification systems that filter for fundamental sustainability criteria: energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, local sourcing, and community benefit. Our goal is to simplify key information and present it to the user in an honest, easy-to-understand format that helps travellers choose sustainable options. And we've integrated carbon-conscious design throughout the platform, from our green hosting infrastructure to tools that show you the environmental impact of different travel options.

Example of how Exploreo presents carbon data on it's hotel listings for travellers to clearly see eco labelling and certifications

Where are we heading next?

This award comes at the perfect moment: after spending the past year building, testing, and refining, we’re now ready to scale across Luxembourg and beyond.

Coming in 2026:

More verified eco-stays across Europe

Expanding partnerships with local hosts who champion regeneration and cultural stewardship.

Smarter AI search

Bringing personal travel values — not just dates or budget — to the forefront of trip planning.

Transparent carbon insights

Measuring the real environmental impact of travel choices with precise data.

More inspiring editorial content

Through Exploreo Magazine, we’ll continue sharing stories about the people protecting Europe’s wild places as well as destination guides and seasonal inspiration.

Example of Exploreo's homepage demonstrating a simple and eco conscious user interface

Thank you for believing in us

This award wouldn't exist without the support of so many people, and we are grateful to the Ministry of the Economy and the Luxembourg Directorate for Tourism, who believe in what we're building. Without the Luxembourg Tourism Awards, innovative projects such as Exploreo would not have a chance to share their mission with the industry.

As well as having support from the tourism industry, it is important that we thank our eco-conscious hosts and guides for trusting us to share their stories, and thank travellers across Europe for choosing Exploreo as their sustainable booking platform.

We could not do this without Luxembourg’s collaborative tourism community, which has given us the space to grow through forward-thinking initiatives and a supportive network, and we’re honoured to be part of its evolution.

We're grateful to everyone who's been part of this journey so far.

The real work begins now

One award doesn't change the industry; people do, and a moment like this opens doors. It starts conversations and accelerates progress. It gives us a platform to say, louder than before, that travel can work differently.

With Exploreo, you no longer have to choose between budget and conscience, and you don't have to spend days researching sustainability claims. For us, travel doesn't mean taking more than you give or leaving a negative impact on the places you visit.

So we're building a different option for travellers, where every booking supports a local family, protects a landscape, or funds conservation work where slow travel is desirable, not difficult and where the responsible choice is simply the obvious one.

For us, this is the beginning. With Luxembourg's support behind us, and Europe ahead of us, we're more ready than ever to prove that travel can give back more than it takes.