Prince Harry announces sustainable travel venture weeks after private jet backlash
Prince Harry said Tuesday in Amsterdam that he is launching an initiative to make the future of travel sustainable.
The initiative, called Travalyst, is partnering with Visa, Booking.com, Skyscanner, TripAdvisor and Ctrip. The Duke of Sussex's announcement comes after he faced criticism for flying on a private jet a few weeks ago despite being vocal about climate change.
"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 in a statement on Travalyst's website. "Bringing companies, consumers and communities together is our best chance to protect destinations and ecosystems for the future generation."
The timing of Travalyst's launch comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex faced backlash for taking a private jet to Nice, France in August. Prince Harry's message to critics? He responded Tuesday saying "no one is perfect," according to People. His defenders pointed out that the trip was carbon neutral, Town & Country Magazine reported.
Travalyst's website emphasizes that international tourism is an expanding industry that is increasingly underpinning the world economy. For example, the United Nations World Tourism Organization predicts that 1.8 billion people will travel internationally by 2030.
"With the number of travelers rapidly rising, we want to expand the economic benefits and help to relieve pressure on overcrowded travel destinations," the initiative's website reads.
Exactly how Travalyst will accomplish this is not yet known.