Prince Harry issues heartfelt plea in new virtual appearance ‘We need to do better’

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Prince Harry issued an emotional appeal during the opening speech of a virtual summit for his sustainable travel initiative, Travalyst.

• Prince Harry has revealed his plan to ‘reshape’ the travel industry in a way which will benefit tourists, businesses and communities.
• Harry officially opened the Travalyst Global Summit with a heartfelt speech.
• In other royal news, Ruth Langsford stole the Duchess of Cambridge’s style with an M&S dress.

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What did Prince Harry say about the tourism industry?

From the home he shares with wife Meghan in Los Angeles, Prince Harry spoke about the impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on the tourism industry.

He said, “None of us here could have predicted the global shock and impact that COVID-19 is having on the world.

“Especially on travel and the local communities who depend on tourism.

“Many of you joining us today rely on visitors for your livelihoods.

“Businesses are hurting significantly, and I have heard from some of you who are currently struggling to put food on your family’s tables and make ends meet because there are no tourists and therefore no income.

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In Scotland today, The Duke of Sussex and Travalyst have hosted a summit to launch their next phase of work, putting communities first, with a mission to create a more sustainable tourism industry. • “We are a coalition of partners with a shared goal to transform the future of tourism and travel for everyone – to give people access to better information and ensure the future development of tourism positively supports the destinations that the industry relies on, and that their communities depend on. We believe travel is a good thing. It is the heart of human experience, of cultural connections and of new friendships.” – The Duke of Sussex Travalyst is working to build a future where people are able to take holidays and trips that have social, environmental and economic benefits to communities and destinations built in. There is an increasing desire for these types of trips – and we want to make them a reality for everyone. At today’s summit in Edinburgh, representatives from across the Scottish tourism sector discussed the need to encourage and incentivise sustainable practices across the supply chain, in a way that meets the needs of consumers who want more clarity on how to choose more sustainable options. Image © PA / SussexRoyal

A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Feb 26, 2020 at 9:06am PST

“We need to build back – but we need to build back better.”

He added, “Destinations are under immense pressure, they are suffering significant damage, communities are struggling, habitats are being destroyed, and wildlife is being driven out – or worse, wiped out.

“We want to ensure that the industry that recovers is one that supports everyone fairly, one that protects destinations, better supports local communities, and is truly resilient.

“This is the future of travel, and a future that Travalyst is here to support and catalyse.”

Prince Harry officially launched Travalyst in September last year.

But at the time, he and Meghan were highly criticised for their use of private jets.

During the official launch, Harry explained that he actually takes commercial flights most of the time, however he needs to use private jets on occasion to protect his family.