Jessica Reid | 10 May 2022
Watch: Prince Harry announces sustainable travel campaign on Māori television
Inspired by the indigenous population of New Zealand, Prince Harry chose Māori Television to launch his eco-travel campaign...
Inspired by the indigenous population of New Zealand, Prince Harry chose Māori Television to launch his eco-travel campaign...
Prince Harry has announced on Māori Television his campaign to encourage more eco-friendly travel.
On Monday night (9 May) the Duke of Sussex made a statement about how travellers should follow the same sustainability principles as the indigenous population of New Zealand, and to take better care of local communities, nature and wildlife.
He asks, what would it be like if we "flipped the script" and a destination rated travellers on their green credentials, rather than travellers rating a destination.
The Prince has launched this latest campaign on behalf of his non-profit sustainable tourism organisation, Travalyst, which he started in 2019.
He picked the Aotearoa (NZ) TV channel to make the announcement due to being heavily inspired by the Māori culture.
Broadcast on public affairs show Te Ano with Moana, Prince Harry said: “I’ve been to Aotearoa a number of times throughout my life and I’ve always felt a deep connection and respect toward the Māori people who make me feel so welcome every time.
“Most recently, when I visited with my wife, we were touched by the connections we built and the incredible memories we have from a time there.
He continued: “We were particularly honoured to meet with young people who were dedicated to the Māori culture and dedicated to giving back to their communities and their culture.
"The Māori culture inherently understands sustainable practices and taking better care of our life-giving land, which are critical lessons we can all learn."
Prince Harry also recorded a short skit to launch the campaign with actors Rhys Darby, Dave Fane and Rena Owen.
This comes after Travalyst launched a scheme last month for travellers to book flights which will help reduce their carbon footprint.
The project has teamed up with some of the biggest global brands, including Google and Skyscanner, to deliver the service, which will allow consumers looking for the greenest way to travel to identify which flight has the lowest carbon emissions.
Find out more about Travalyst on their website, or watch Prince Harry's new promotional video for the campaign below.
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