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April 1st marks the official start of Earth Month.

It’s as good a time as any to stop and reflect on how we can be better stewards of the environment, and in a newly released video statement today, Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex shared a few key insights about the importance of making more responsible choices when you travel.

“Travel can do a tremendous amount of good, it connects us to the destinations we love, and to the communities that call these places home,” The Duke of Sussex said in a video statement Tuesday.

The Duke of Sussex has long been a staunch advocate for sustainable and ethical travel, and co-founded the non-profit organization Travalyst in 2019 with the goal of promoting eco-conscious tourism with the aim of helping travelers make better decision when it comes to carbon emissions, preventing overtourism and developing local communities and economies.

In the five years since its founding, the U.K. based not-for-profit and independent sustainability coalition has developed strategic partnerships with major travel and tourism organizations including the World Travel and Tourism Council along with Booking.com, TripAdvisor, and Expedia.

Prince Harry’s video testimony was released in conjunction with Travalyst’s Five-Year Milestone Report which shed new light on the company’s progress and goals for the next five years.

“As more people travel, they have huge potential to drive inclusive growth in the destinations they visit, but they must be empowered with the information they need to make those trips count, ensuring that their travel plans – and spending – contribute to creating thriving ecosystems and prospering communities,” The Duke of Sussex said.

In a call to action this week, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex issued a statement on the future of sustainable tourism.

Misan Harriman

According to new research found in Travalysts’ Milestone Report, the company finds that despite travelers expressing greater interest to travel more sustainably, their actions are proving otherwise.

The U.S. data — which was collected via a YouGov survey — found that roughly 42% of American travelers surveyed who said they plan on taking a trip in 2025 considered accommodation providers’ sustainability efforts, however, only 18% of those travelers factor sustainability into their decision making when it comes time to book a trip.

This effect is what the CEO of Travalyst Sally Davey and other sustainability experts have come to coin as the “say-do gap.”

“There’s a clear gap between what travelers say is important to them and the decisions they ultimately make,” Sally Davey, CEO of Travalyst tells Forbes. “We call that the say-do gap. That’s something we’re working hard to address at Travalyst by providing travelers with trusted information on the booking platforms they already know and trust.”

According to Travalyst, 83% of people want to travel more sustainably, however only 18% of American travelers actually factor sustainability into their travel plans.

Travalyst.org

Ensuring that travelers have access to credible information about the sustainability of their travel options is mission critical when it comes to enabling them to make more informed travel decisions, Davey says.

“The travel industry is growing at an unprecedented pace, and with growth comes responsibility,” Davey tells Forbes. “We have a unique opportunity to transform the way we explore the world, making every journey count for people and the planet.”

The report includes new data showing that flight emissions information has been displayed by Travalyst partners in 130-billion searches globally, powered by the Travel Impact Model (TIM). The report also details Travalyst’s work with sustainability certifications highlighting that Google and Booking.com both display certifications aligned with Travalyst criteria and raising visibility amongst the millions of travelers who use their platforms.

“The progress we’ve made together proves that collaboration can drive real change, but there is so much more to do,” Davey tells Forbes. “The next five years are critical, and by working together, we can shape a future where sustainable travel isn’t the exception, it’s the norm.”

To learn more about Travalyst, or to see their Five Year Milestone Report, you can check out their website at Travalyst.org.

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