Prince Harry is spearheading a new sustainable travel initiative to “mobilise the industry as a catalyst for good” – but details are pretty vague so far. The
Duke of Sussex announced the new global sustainable travel initiative, called ‘Travalyst’, on 3 September.
It will see him partner with a number of industry service providers such as Booking.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor and Visa.
A release from Buckingham Palace said they collectively hope to “find and implement solutions” that will make travel more sustainable – while helping to protect people, places and wildlife.
Driving sustainable practices in local areas, tackling climate change and environmental damage, and alleviating over-tourism are just some of the areas they will focus on.
The announcement comes after critics slammed the Duke and
Duchess of Sussex for taking private jets to go on holiday last month.Related... What Is Carbon Offsetting And Does It Actually Work? The couple are keen supporters of environmentalism – with Prince Harry recently revealing they’ll only have two children for the sake of the planet – but their recent trips to Ibiza and Nice via private jet led some to accuse them of hypocrisy.One of the jets was loaned to the couple by singer Sir Elton John, who came out in defence of the pair saying he paid for the plane and paid to offset their carbon emissions.
Since 2000, the number of trips taken annually by people around the world has more than doubled – and data shows there is growing appetite for more sustainable travel. A Booking.com survey revealed 71% of global travellers think travel companies should offer more sustainable choices, and 68% said it was important the money they spent on travel went back into local communities.“Travel has the unparalleled power to open people’s minds to different cultures, new experiences and to have a profound appreciation for what our world has to offer,” Prince Harry said of the launch.As tourism inevitably grows, it is critically important to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices worldwide.“As tourism inevitably grows, it is critically important to accelerate the adoption of sustainable practices worldwide; and to balance this growth with the needs of the environment and the local population,” he continued.“Bringing companies, consumers and communities together is our best chance to protect destinations and ecosystems for future generations.”
A statement from Buckingham Palace said further details of new initiatives launched by the Travalyst partnership will be announced “in due course”. Gillian Tans, chairwoman of Booking.com, called the partnership “truly inspiring” and said: “Collaboration is the only path forward if we want to create a real paradigm shift in travel.“We want to protect the destinations we all love and guarantee that they are happy and healthy for generations to come, but we can’t do it on our own. Even though we don’t have all the answers yet, we are determined to find them together.”Related... 7 European Destinations To Travel To This Autumn If You Still Want Some Sun What Is Carbon Offsetting And Does It Actually Work? Big Lifestyle Changes Are 'Needed To Cut Emissions' – Here Are 3 Ways To Get Started