Regenerative tourism: Has responsible tourism finally here?

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• December 7, 2022

Insight summary

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the vulnerability of the tourism and hospitality sectors. However, even as widespread human activity halted in 2020, the tourism and hospitality sectors were able to recover by 2022. This recovery led to changes in how the tourism sector was viewed in some regions, shifting from mere sightseeing and commercial activity toward a means to improve local communities.

Regenerative tourism context

Regenerative tourism is a sustainable and eco-friendly way to travel and explore new places. Its main goal is for visitors to positively impact their destination, meaning they leave it in better condition than when they found it. This concept goes beyond sustainable tourism, which involves traveling in a manner that causes the least environmental damage and emitting as little carbon emissions as possible (e.g., traveling by train or ferry instead of plane).

Regenerative tourism takes this concept further and aims to change communities for the better. Examples include farmers collaborating with tourism professionals to cultivate the deserts, and tourists collaborating with local communities to maintain rainforests or restore local biodiversity. 

The United Nations’ (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) list several regenerative tourism principles; these include:

1. First is the holistic understanding and living-systems approach which emphasizes that “everything is connected with everything” that applies to the relationship between tourism stakeholders and the ecosystem.
2. Next is collaborating among governments, private sectors, and local communities to promote activities that benefit the local environment instead of market competition. 
3. Third, inclusivity and equitability in the support of refugees and other marginalized groups.
4. Lastly, cultural stewardship that aims to protect the local heritage and traditions and takes care of the natural ecosystems that support these ways of life. 

Disruptive impact

Many countries are offering regenerative tourism activities. An example is Mexico’s Via Organica Ranch, which encourages farmers to regenerate rural landscapes. The farm is 75 hectares of formerly rundown pastureland converted into a regeneration center in semi-arid highlands. Visitors explore organic and regenerative farming/land rehabilitation methods such as bio-intensive gardening, compost production, seed saving, and tree planting. As a result, regeneration works on two levels: it restores landscapes while educating visitors about skills they may use in their own countries.

Another example is Myanmar-based tour operator Intrepid Travel, which offers “community-based tourism” (CBT). A joint project between the company and nonprofit ActionAid is a CBT lodge in the town of Myaing, which allows visitors to have a hands-on experience of rural living in the country. In addition, Intrepid Travel announced that it was able to offset 125 percent of its carbon emissions in 2020 through this project. 

Meanwhile, in 2019, the Netherlands Board of Tourism & Conventions (NBTC) issued a plan to concentrate its advertising and marketing on areas outside Amsterdam to encourage tourists to explore the countryside. The country is applying the Doughnut Economics principle, which puts an ecological limit on how much a city is allowed to grow or engage in human activities. The Netherlands is among the first countries to commit to this tourism strategy.

Implications of regenerative tourism

Wider implications of regenerative tourism may include: 

• Tour companies switching to partnerships with local communities, possibly resulting in longer and more meaningful tour activities.
• More tourists preferring community-based experiences, including homestays in the countryside and participating in rural life.
• Some countries promoting regenerative tourism by highlighting cultural experiences and strictly monitoring public land (and seas) developments into private resorts.
• More wildlife preservation tours educating people on biodiversity while giving them unique experiences like staying in rainforests or research boats.
• Tour guides becoming culture and heritage experts, transitioning from merely building customer relationships to giving in-depth educational programs.
• Increased emphasis on sustainable travel practices, such as eco-friendly accommodations and transport, leading to reduced environmental impact and heightened tourist awareness.
• The rise of digital platforms for tourism, offering virtual tours and experiences, expanding access to remote or protected destinations without physical travel.
• Governments integrating regenerative tourism into economic development strategies, creating new jobs and preserving cultural heritage.

Questions to consider

• If you have participated in regenerative tourism, what are some of your experiences?
• How else can regenerative tourism change the way people travel?