Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, addressed tourism executives at the Skift Global Forum in New York last month, challenging the industry’s focus on traditional metrics like RevPAR and visitor numbers. Speaking as founder of the nonprofit Travalyst, he questioned whether current performance indicators measure the true success of destinations or their impact on local communities and natural resources.
Travalyst’s Mission and Business Case
Launched in 2019, Travalyst brings together major travel and technology companies including Booking.com, Expedia Group, Google, Amadeus, Sabre, The Travel Corporation, and Tripadvisor. The coalition aims to create a unified source for environmental, social, and economic impact information across the travel sector.
Harry argued that protecting destinations serves both moral and business interests. “Where destinations thrive, travel and tourism thrives,” he said. “That should not simply be a sustainability principle sitting alongside the business strategy. It should be part of the business strategy itself.”
Personal Connection to Conservation
The prince’s advocacy stems from 25 years of visiting the Okavango Delta in Botswana, which he describes as a second home and a place that “can completely shift your perspective.” His experiences there shaped his understanding of how tourism affects both wildlife and local livelihoods.
“While it’s great to see businesses pop up, they’re not local businesses,” Harry noted. “The communities that we drive through, the same faces, the same people that I’ve met over 25 years, their lives haven’t really improved much.”
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Community Benefits and Industry Image
Harry presented a straightforward business case: when travel companies bring benefits and jobs to local communities, those communities become incentivized to protect their ecosystems and attractions. “Everybody benefits, and the longevity and the sustainability of that destination will be around for decades,” he said.
He also highlighted tourism’s image challenges in various regions. “Certain areas around the world are not exactly favorable to tourism right now,” Harry observed. “Local communities need to feel valued, and what they call home needs to be valued.”
Changing Traveler Behavior
To address overtourism, Harry encouraged the industry to “widen the funnel” and promote lesser-known destinations. “There’s plenty out there,” he said, urging travelers to explore beyond popular spots for their own enrichment and to reduce pressure on overcrowded locations.
Speaking directly to tourists, Harry acknowledged social media’s role in problematic travel behaviors. “People want to go and tick all the boxes and have these experiences and line up to photograph the ‘Mona Lisa,’ and they’re not even paying any attention to it.”
He called for greater traveler consciousness, particularly regarding resource consumption. “I’ll put my hand up,” Harry admitted. “I’ve been guilty of that. I think a lot of us in this room probably have, as well. But we can change. We can change those habits for sure.”
