In recent years, the concept of tourism has evolved significantly. There has been a shift from a traditional approach to models espousing environmental and social responsibility. One of the most prominent new visions is regenerative tourism. This travel philosophy goes beyond simply reducing negative impacts, by endeavouring to leave destinations in a better state than that in which they were found. The approach is based on concrete actions that aim to restore natural ecosystems, promote local communities and boost economies, proactively responding to the global challenges of sustainability.
Regenerative tourism does more than just reduce damage: the objective is to start up regeneration processes involving both people and the environment. As a result, travellers go from being passive observers to consciously contributing to positive change and actively taking part in efforts to conserve and promote natural and cultural resources.
Although they are often mentioned alongside each other, there are some key differences between sustainable tourism and regenerative tourism. Sustainable tourism focuses on reducing the negative impacts of tourism on the environment and local communities, by taking measures that ensure their long-term conservation. In other words, it aims not to damage natural and cultural resources. For example, it might involve providing eco-friendly accommodation or using transport with a low environmental impact.
Regenerative tourism takes things to a whole new level, with a more ambitious goal: to actively improve that which has been damaged. As well as conserving, it seeks to regenerate eco-systems and local economies.
Through concrete projects with aims such as restoring degraded land, conserving forests or reintroducing biodiversity, regenerative tourism involves a commitment to making a positive, lasting impact. An agritourism organization that contributes to reforestation would embody the philosophy, as would an eco-lodge run by local communities to protect unspoilt natural areas.
Essentially, while sustainable tourism entails making a commitment to not make the current situation worse, regenerative tourism takes things further and turns tourism into an active means of making improvements that benefit the environment and local people.
Taking a regenerative approach to tourism brings numerous benefits, and not just on the environmental front. First of all, it fosters restoration of natural ecosystems, by dealing with problems such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity and soil degradation. Through initiatives such as reforestation, protection of natural areas and controlling harmful human activities, the approach helps to improve environmental conditions.
Another important benefit is empowering local communities. Regenerative tourism supports local economies through fair, participatory models such as cooperatives or small local enterprises. Consequently, communities do not just benefit economically: they also play a leading role in the tourism development process. In addition, making traditions, art and culture an integral part of tourism ensures cultural heritage is preserved and handed down to future generations.
From an economic point of view, regenerative tourism helps to create jobs for skilled workers in areas relating to the green and digital transition. This occurs thanks to the introduction of new skills, such as using digital technologies to make tourism services more accessible, and sustainable management of resources. A concrete example of this is developing digital booking platforms for authentic experiences that showcase local areas and products.
Finally, this approach enhances the quality of the tourism experience, by making it authentic and meaningful. As well as forging a more profound connection with nature and local cultures, visitors feel like part of something bigger, because they are actively contributing to change.
Despite its numerous benefits, regenerative tourism faces various challenges that hinder its growth on a broader scale. One of the main difficulties is a lack of awareness among both tourists and members of the trade. Many people still do not know about the benefits of the approach and tourism businesses often do not have the skills required to put regenerative models into practice.
In addition, the initial costs associated with projects such as restoring natural ecosystems, building sustainable infrastructure and training for local communities can be a significant obstacle, especially for small businesses.
Another hurdle is fragmented governance. It prevents effective cooperation between local players, institutions and members of the tourism industry, thus holding back the implementation of regenerative projects. Collaboration between stakeholders is essential not only for the development of joint strategies, but also to ensure that the benefits of regenerative tourism are distributed fairly. Meanwhile, limited digital transformation in certain rural or remote areas may hamper access to tools and resources that play an essential role in the promotion and management of sustainable tourism experiences.
Against this backdrop, the SMARTIES for SMEs project intends to give a concrete response to these challenges. As the first European project to focus on regenerative tourism, it supports small and medium-sized tourism businesses as they grow and adopt regenerative practices, providing advice, training and co-funding. The initiative promotes cooperation between different players in the field, encouraging the creation of a network of local and international partnerships. In addition, SMARTIES for SMEs facilitates access to new digital technologies, raising the online profile of SMEs, giving them greater scope to reach bigger markets and thus helping to overcome the barriers associated with digital transformation and the low profiles of the businesses in question.
In conclusion, taking a responsible, conscious approach to travel means being part of a global transformation that – in the long term – will pave the way to a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient world. The future of regenerative tourism is in our hands. Every little step today can make a big difference tomorrow.