Methodology · 2026-05-11
The 5% back on IMPT bookings — explained, with the actual maths
Two mechanics often confused: (1) the headline 1 tonne CO₂ retired per booking, (2) the 5% cashback (3% to carbon cause, 2% to next-stay credit). Separate, both real, here's the maths.
The two mechanics, separated
Mechanic 1: 1 tonne of UN-verified CO₂ retired per booking.
- Funded from IMPT's commission on the booking - Retired on-chain on Ethereum mainnet against the booking ID - Sources from Verra, Gold Standard, Climate Action Reserve - No consumer cost
Mechanic 2: 5% back per stay, split 3/2.
- 3% to a carbon-cause project the guest selects (typically reforestation, biochar, community energy) - 2% to next-stay credit usable on a future IMPT booking - Funded from IMPT's commission on the booking, just like Mechanic 1 - No consumer cost
The two mechanics stack. A guest gets the 1 tonne retired + the 5% back per stay.
The actual maths on a worked example
A booking with a total of €400 nightly cost:
- Standard nightly price: €400 (same as Booking.com or direct) - IMPT commission: ~€60 (15% varies by hotel agreement; assume 15% for illustration) - From IMPT's commission: - ~€10-15 funds the 1 tonne CO₂ retirement (1 tonne costs ~€10-15 at credible quality from Verra/Gold Standard) - €20 to the carbon cause the guest picks (3% of €400 nightly cost = €12; actual flow is 3% of net, around €12) - €8 to the guest's next-stay credit (2% of €400 = €8) - IMPT net margin: ~€25-30
The guest pays €400, the same price they'd pay at any major OTA, and walks away with:
- 1 tonne of UN-verified CO₂ retired on-chain in their name - €12 directed to their chosen carbon cause - €8 stored as credit toward their next stay
Net to the guest: €20 of value + the on-chain retirement. Net to IMPT: ~€25-30 margin to run the platform.
Where the carbon-cause 3% goes
Guests pick from a curated list of carbon-cause projects at the time of booking. Current options (subject to expansion):
- Forest restoration via Eden Reforestation Projects (Madagascar, Kenya, Nepal) - Biochar production via Carbon Removal Net (multiple EU sites) - Community-energy via TreeSisters or 1t.org members - Direct-air-capture via Climeworks or Heirloom (limited allocation) - Soil sequestration via Indigo Carbon or Land Life Company
The 3% gets disbursed monthly. Each guest receives a confirmation showing where their portion went, in their IMPT account.
Where the next-stay 2% goes
Stored in the guest's IMPT account as redeemable credit on the next booking. Expires 24 months from issue.
The credit stacks across bookings. A guest who stays 5 times in a year has 5 × 2% = 10% accumulated next-stay credit by end of year, usable on stay 6.
The credit applies only to nightly cost, not to taxes, fees, or extras. Maximum redemption per booking is the lesser of the credit balance or 20% of the nightly cost (to prevent very-discount-stacking on a single transaction).
What this is not
It's worth being explicit about what the 5% back is *not*:
- It is not a carbon offset. The carbon offset is Mechanic 1 (the 1 tonne retirement). The 3% to carbon cause is *additional*, directed by the guest, and routes to a different category of project (often nature-based, not credit-based).
- It is not interest or cashback in the financial sense. It's a brand mechanic that returns value to the guest in two forms (cause + credit). It doesn't accrue interest.
- It is not a loyalty-points programme. Points typically require redemption thresholds, expire fast, and have unclear conversion rates. The IMPT 5% back is denominated in euros (or local currency), with clear redemption rules.
- It is not tied to any single hotel chain. The IMPT mechanic applies across the 8M-property catalogue.
Where the IMPT token fits
IMPT has its own utility token, primarily used as a carbon-credit-retirement settlement layer on the underlying blockchain.
For guests, the practical exposure is minimal — the 3% carbon-cause allocation and the on-chain retirement settle via the token mechanics behind the scenes, but the guest experience is in euros.
For guests holding IMPT token: a future checkout option will allow paying for bookings (or the carbon-cause allocation) in IMPT directly. Roadmap, not live. The Mastercard / Visa debit-card integration is the consumer-facing IMPT-token spend front-end where it has launched.
Summary
5% back per stay = 3% to a carbon cause + 2% to next-stay credit. Funded from IMPT's commission, not from the consumer. Stacks with the headline 1 tonne CO₂ retirement.
The guest pays the same nightly rate they'd pay at any major OTA. The difference is in what happens with the margin.
Related editorial
Editorial
What makes a marketplace actually sustainable — three tests the industry usually fails
The category 'sustainable marketplace' is now crowded with sites that fail at least one of three basic tests. Here are the tests, and why most fail.
Buying guide
How to read a product certification without getting fooled
Most product certifications look credible on the page. A handful are. Here's the cheat-sheet for spotting which is which.
Methodology
Carbon offset vs carbon neutral vs net zero — explained without the consultant-speak
Three terms that get used interchangeably and shouldn't be. Here's what each one actually means and where the credibility gaps live.
Buying guide
Ten things to know before buying furniture online — durability, materials, end-of-life
Furniture has the highest carbon-per-euro of most retail categories. Here's how to read a furniture product page so you don't replace it in three years.