Prince Harry, the founder of non -profit coalition Travalyst, has urged the travel industry in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to double down on its commitments to support sustainable travel and tourism.
The Duke of Sussex also shared climate goals at a global conference hosted by Trip.com Group, in Shanghai, China.
Delivering the keynote address at the annual Envision 2025 Global Partner Conference, the Duke said that despite current headwinds, the travel industry needed to stay the course and work together to drive progress towards critical climate and conservation targets ahead of the 2030 deadlines.
Prince Harry told attendees that he believes the Asia-Pacific region is strongly positioned to drive positive sustainability practices for the global travel sector.
Estimates suggest that APAC will regain its position as the top regional travel market this year, with a value of US$490 billion.
With the region seeing a 33% hike in international arrivals last year, the size of the APAC market means there is a significant opportunity to steer travellers and industry alike towards more inclusive practices, particularly considering mounting evidence indicating that these travellers are increasingly seeking out low-impact tourism experiences.
Research conducted by Travalyst founding coalition partner, Trip.com Group, has recently revealed that travellers from the APAC region are more likely than their peers in other regions to seek out sustainable travel options when planning their trips.
Prince Harry said: “Climate change isn’t just an environmental challenge – it’s a critical business emergency, costing the global economy $143 billion annually.”
“Now is the moment for the industry to reaffirm its commitment to being a force for good. Challenges will undoubtedly rise, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that meaningful change never comes easily.
“The true measure of our commitment is how we respond when the path becomes difficult. We must never give up.”
Jane Sun, Chief Executive Officer of Trip.com Group, added: “We believe in the power of partnership to drive meaningful progress, and we are proud to be part of shared global efforts to shape a more sustainable and resilient future for travel.
“With like-minded partners, we are committed to empowering travellers with the information and options to travel responsibly and working across the industry to build a more inclusive and impactful tourism ecosystem.”
On the sidelines of Envision 2025 and ahead of ITB China, Travalyst has also kicked off a major convening of stakeholders in Shanghai, including industry leaders and regional policymakers, this week.
Last month, Travalyst published its Five-Year Milestone Report, which called on the industry to champion tourism that enables a just transition of inclusive economic benefits, reduces inequality, and preserves local culture and fragile ecosystems.
Since its founding in 2019, Travalyst has grown from five partners to 13, representing a combined market value of over US $3 trillion.
