A plan to centralise the collection and distribution of sustainability data for key aspects of travel and tourism will help travellers make informed decisions about how and where they travel to.
The initiative was disclosed by Travalyst, the not-for-profit organisation founded by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, as part of a vision for the next five years.
Travalyst has also acquired the Weeva sustainability management tool for independent hotels and tourism businesses. Weever co-founder and chief executive Julie Cheetham is joining as chief operations officer.
The developments came as the organisation marked its fifth anniversary during climate week in New York City.
Travalyst has brought together a global coalition of leading brands including Amadeus, Booking.com, Expedia Group, Google, Mastercard, Sabre, Skyscanner, Travelport, Trip.com Group, Tripadvisor and Visa since its inception in 2019.
The group aims to align the travel industry behind “clear, consistent and credible” sustainability information and then scale it globally.
Travalyst announced earlier this month that it has scaled emissions estimates for flights across billions of searches on major booking platforms; a first step towards supporting travellers to find lower emitting options.
It now aims to build on this success for the accommodation sector in order to drive similar levels of adoption and scale followed by other sectors such as rail, activities and destinations.
The mission is to bring sustainability information to the mainstream to help people make more informed travel choices at a time when travel and tourism is estimated to be responsible for about 11% of global greenhouse gas emissions,
Prince Harry said: “I’ve seen first-hand how travel and tourism can be a double-edged sword, both a force that has the potential to do tremendous good, or if mismanaged, inflict significant harm.
“These experiences, as well as years of conversation and debate around campfires with experts that I’m proud to call friends, have shaped my understanding of the critical bond between people, wildlife, and the environment we share.”
He added: “By 2030, we’re expecting 1.8 billion international arrivals each year; nearly double the numbers we saw just two decades ago.
“That kind of growth can only be sustainable if we prioritise not just profit, but people and places too. And this is where Travalyst’s work becomes so crucial.
“Together, Travalyst and its partners represent a combined market value of nearly $3 trillion. This is a massive force for good, and we’re committed to using it to ensure that travel not only sustains communities but helps them thrive.”
Sally Davey, chief executive of Travalyst, said: “Today, there is no single source of truth for sustainability data for the tourism industry. The information that does exist is fragmented, incomplete and often behind paywalls.
“This can leave the industry feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, and travellers confused and disengaged. We want to help change that.
“Travalyst is working to align the industry behind the same sustainability data for accommodation providers, and then scale this information so that travellers see the full picture of where they are staying, beyond price and reviews. We aim to do this in a way that democratises access to information and ensures vital sustainability data is available to everyone.”