Travalyst, a not-for-profit coalition of some of the biggest names in travel and technology founded by Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, has published its Five-Year Milestone Report. In the report, Travalyst outlines its achievements since its founding, sets the course for the years ahead, and reveals new research on how both travellers and travel companies view sustainability efforts.

Here are a few key takeaways:

• Founder Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, urges the industry to grow inclusively and minimise negative impacts in order to protect the destinations that the business depends upon
• New research demonstrates that industry leaders remain committed to sustainability efforts, want more collaboration and support ahead of incoming regulation
• Flight emissions information has been displayed by Travalyst partners in 130 billion searches globally, empowering travellers to make more informed choices
• Certifications, standards and schemes compliant with Travalyst criteria are now visible on partner platforms

In his foreword, Prince Harry highlights the industry’s power to drive positive change at a critical moment: “Last year saw a staggering 1.4 billion international tourist arrivals globally. 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.”

He also calls on the travel industry to align behind a set of three key goals focused on climate, nature, and communities:

1. Climate: Reducing the industry’s carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.
2. Nature: Protecting and restoring at least 30% of the planet, land, and sea by 2030.
3. Communities: Promoting truly sustainable tourism that enables a just transition of inclusive economic benefits, reduced inequality, and which preserves local culture and fragile ecosystems.

This call follows research from Travalyst, which demonstrates widespread commitment within the industry for continued action on sustainability.

A survey of industry leaders conducted by Travalyst found:

• More than 9 in 10 agree that governments should ensure that travel and tourism companies report on their sustainability and environmental impact.
• More than 7 in 10 say that the recent backlash against environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts in some countries has had no impact on sustainability efforts within their organisation.
• However, they need more support and collaboration to take their efforts to the next level. Only 3 in 10 said they feel very well-equipped to deal with incoming sustainability regulations.

Sally Davey, CEO, Travalyst, said: “Since our founding, we have brought together some of the world’s biggest travel and technology companies to deliver consistent, credible, and compliant sustainability information at scale. Over the next five years, we will expand and future-proof our existing efforts, roll out new and impactful initiatives, and support the industry to align with incoming regulations. This report outlines our plans – and the impact we aim to achieve.”

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 certifications, standards and schemes, highlighting that Google and Booking.com both display certifications that are aligned to Travalyst criteria – raising visibility amongst the millions of travellers who use their platforms. This type of consistent information is critical to empower travellers to make more informed decisions about the sustainability of their travel choices.

Previous research from Travalyst’s partners has demonstrated that travellers care about sustainability, with 83% saying that sustainable travel is important to them. However, new research that Travalyst commissioned from YouGov for the report demonstrates that travellers are not yet taking action at the level needed to deliver impact at scale.

According to the report, of those who have travel plans for 2025, 30% of UK travellers and 42% of American travellers considered accommodation providers’ sustainability efforts. But only 13% of UK travellers and 18% of American travellers factored this into their decisions.

During its next phase, Travalyst will deepen its collaboration with partners aiming to close the gap between travellers’ desire to be more sustainable and the action they take. See the full report here.