The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, has called on the world’s travel industry to consider the health of the destinations it serves.
Speaking at the Skift Global Forum in New York City last week, Prince Harry said some of the most meaningful and transformative moments of his life have been “anchored in travel”.
Prince Harry founded sustainable travel initiative Travalyst in 2019. It operates as an independent not-for-profit designed to promote sustainable tourism and encourage the travel industry to adopt better environmental and local community practices.
Prince Harry acknowledged the “unprecedented headwinds” facing travel, but emphasised the need for the industry to protect the health of the destinations it relies on.
“There is no successful travel industry without successful destinations,” Prince Harry said, adding that calls for greater sustainability have been repeated by “everyone from my father to global scientists”.
He spoke in particular about Botswana, which he first visited shortly after the death of his mother, Princess Diana.
While heads of state want to welcome tourism, he said, they are often sceptical about where its economic benefits ultimately flow.
In Botswana, Prince Harry said the lives of locals had “not improved much” in the years he had been visiting. While more businesses are emerging, he said, “they are not local businesses”.
The Prince also acknowledged his own extraordinary privilege.
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel to all corners of the world,” he said, adding that he had been sent on official visits by his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.
During one such trip to the Caribbean, Prince Harry recalled a young boy approaching him and, without knowing who he was, saying: “Because of your country, my country is suffering.”
“It was profound but true,” he said.
“I am not a travel or tourism expert,” Prince Harry added. “I came at this trying to find a solution for conversation. It has always been about the places, more specifically rural destinations.”
Prince Harry questions AI investment
The Prince also directly addressed the travel industry’s growing investment in artificial intelligence and other technologies.
“There have been countless conversations on new technologies,” he said.
“We have heard about the opportunities AI presents, but at what cost? How do we strike a balance with new technologies and impact on this environment?”
He left the industry with a direct question: “How much are you investing in technology next year, and how much are you investing in the health of the places you depend upon?”
