In case you missed it, Prince Harry last month led the launch of a new sustainable travel initiative called Travalyst. According to its website, Travalyst is founded by Booking.com, Ctrip, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor and Visa, with the ambition to change the impact of travel, for good.
No specific agenda has been announced but the site states the following: “We believe in the power and importance of travel and that we also have a shared responsibility to our planet and to each other. That’s why we’re coming together as a catalyst for change. We want to be the driving force that paves a new way to travel, helping everyone explore our world in a way that protects both people and places….”
In a recent interview with Skift, TripAdvisor CEO Steve Kaufer said he hopes Travalyst will have a meaningful environmental impact for a long time. In the last year, TripAdvisor shelved its GreenLeaders program. A TripAdvisor spokesman said in March that the application process was being updated. That same spokesman said this past week that there is nothing new to report on GreenLeaders.
According to a CNBC report on Travalyst, the founding partners will use their platforms to help tourists make more sustainable choices when booking trips. These include making more environment friendly decisions such as tips on offsetting carbon emissions as well as working with local communities at tourist destinations. Travalyst will also work to educate the public on how tourism can contribute to climate change and environmental damage.
A Disconnect Between Community, Environment
“I am not a tourism or business expert, but through my travels I have observed the unique relationship between community and environment and have noticed something alarming—there wasn’t the symbiosis or connection there needed to be and I wanted to understand why,” Prince Harry said in a statement early last month.
Overtourism has been a hot topic in recent months. “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,” Prince Harry said.
Travalyst notes on its website that the number of people taking international trips each year has more than doubled since 2000, with 1.8 billion people expected to travel internationally by the year 2030. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, the tourism industry contributed $8.8 trillion to the world economy last year.
Some of the specific environmental issues mentioned on Travalyst include the use of single-use plastics, reducing and offsetting carbon emissions, and plant and wildlife preservation.
Prince Harry announced Travalyst’s launch just weeks after he and wife Meghan Markle were widely criticized for using private jets despite campaigning for environmental causes.
To stay apprised of the work of Travalyst, sign up for updates on its website.
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