Prince Harry is doing his bit for the environment and has been visiting New Zealand to launch an eco-travel campaign. The campaign is inspired by Maori values of sustainability, manaakitanga (love and compassion) and kaitiakitanga (guardianship and protection). Read on to find out more about Harry’s new eco-travel campaign.

Prince Harry and an eco-travel campaign

As climate change and global warming start to clearly show their effects, many countries are standing up and taking action to protect the environment. New Zealand is the next in line, as Prince Harry launches an eco-travel campaign based on sustainable Maori practices.

Under the pilot scheme, travelers are encouraged to consider sustainable options while planning their next vacation. This can easily be done through the use of a rating tool on the non-profit website Travalyst.

The organization is led by the Duke of Sussex and strives to make sustainable travel mainstream. Meanwhile, by doing so, the aim is to create systemic change.

The new campaign was launched by Prince Harry on the New Zealand television channel Maori TV. The former royal appeared on the program Te Ao with Moana, where he used the traditional Maori greeting and farewell. In the launch, the Duke of Sussex described how the Maori culture understands sustainable practices and how to take better care of the land.

On the show, Harry urged travelers to support local communities and contribute to local conservation efforts. He also urged them to make time to “form an authentic connection to nature, people and culture.”

Prince Harry launches the campaign

Harry also starred in a launch video for the eco-travel campaign, alongside New Zealand actors, Dave Fane, Rhys Darby and Rena Owen. In the video, included below, they play “rating agents”, trialing a system on which vacation destinations rate their visitors.

The video hilariously shows Prince Harry being rated on various factors about a previous visit to the country with his wife, Meghan. These included his use of hotel towels, not leaving water running when brushing his teeth, buying local honey and dropping litter. Obviously, this was all in jest and is fun to watch.

Tiaki Promise

On top of this, Prince Harry has endorsed the Tiaki Promise, an initiative led by Tourism New Zealand. The country recently reopened its borders following the pandemic and is encouraging visitors to support local communities. Meanwhile, the initiative also encourages travelers to care for nature and wildlife and act as a guardian of New Zealand, while protecting and preserving it.

Under the Tiaki Promise, visitors are asked to promise to care for land, sea and nature. They are also asked to tread lightly through New Zealand, while leaving no trace, i.e. disposing of all trash. Moreover, travelers should travel safely, showing consideration and care for everyone and everything. Further, visitors are asked to respect New Zealand’s culture by traveling with an open heart and mind.

Speaking at the launch, Harry said that every year, more and more of us want better options.

And for the first time, travelers are striving to make that a reality for everybody who wants to support local communities, traveling with kaitiaki values and looking after nature and wildlife.

How you can get involved

Readers can visit the Travalyst website to answer five questions about their vacation practices. The website will then rate them in terms of sustainability and also offer tips on making better choices. Meanwhile, the website also offers an extensive research survey on travel habits, showcasing stories from Kiwi travel operators, while leading the way with sustainable travel options.

Not only is the campaign valuable for the environment, but it can also be a lot of fun along the way. As the saying goes, take only photos, leave only footprints on your next vacation.