A collaboration of key players is needed to create a regenerative tourism model in the future

As climate change continues to advance, some regions worldwide are experiencing the adverse effects of over-tourism, particularly during the summer season. This issue has raised serious concerns among local communities. Over-tourism occurs when an excessive number of tourists visit a destination, putting immense pressure on the environment, infrastructure, and local resources. The result can be detrimental to the natural ecosystem, cultural heritage, and overall quality of life for residents.

During the summer, many popular tourist destinations attract a surge of visitors, exacerbating the impact of over-tourism. Increased traffic can lead to environmental degradation, pollution, and strain on limited resources like water and energy. Additionally, heavy tourist presence may lead to overcrowding, noise pollution, and an erosion of local culture and traditions.

Local communities are often the ones who feel the immediate and lasting effects of over-tourism. It can disrupt their daily lives, lead to a rise in living costs, and reduce the availability of resources for residents. Moreover, over-reliance on tourism can create an unbalanced economy vulnerable to fluctuations in tourist numbers.

Regenerative tourism practices are a direct answer to this problem. By regenerative we mean that visitors leave the place in a better state than it was, it is not seasonal but encourages all-around-the-year visits, and is embedded within the local community. But to embrace the regenerative model and effectively address the challenges of over-tourism and climate change, a significant shift in mentality is required from all key players involved in the tourism industry. This shift should prioritize sustainability, social responsibility, and long-term positive impacts on the environment and local communities. In this article, we want to pinpoint crucial problems that key players face in the process, as NECTSTouR (European regions for competitive and sustainable tourism) described in the article “The regenerative tourism persona ecosystem”.

  1. Destination Management Organizations (DMOs): DMOs play a vital role in shaping and promoting tourism in a destination. They need to adopt a regenerative mindset that focuses on preserving natural resources, respecting local culture, and ensuring the well-being of residents and need to go from more returns on investments to added value and social returns.
  2. Businesses: Tourism-related businesses, including hotels, restaurants, and tour operators can adopt eco-friendly practices, buy seasonally, reduce waste and carbon footprint, support local suppliers and artisans, and invest in community development projects.
  3. Associations: Industry associations and organizations have an opportunity to influence their members and advocate for regenerative practices. They can facilitate knowledge sharing, provide resources for sustainable tourism initiatives, and encourage collective action to address common challenges.
  4. Local Community: The local community plays a critical role in the success of sustainable tourism. Involving the local community in tourism planning and development can lead to a sense of ownership and empowerment. It is also important to educate and present to the local community the positive significance that tourism can have on their environment and quality of life and the various opportunities it can open up. Often, residents feel excluded and complain about tourism because they are not involved in tourism offerings.
  5. Visitors: Tourists have a responsibility to be mindful of their impact on the destinations they visit. By choosing responsible tour operators, respecting local customs and traditions, and minimizing their environmental footprint, travelers can contribute positively to the regenerative model. For all of us who love to travel, it is crucial to accept that our presence in a certain area can worsen the situation, making it less likely for us to take our desired destination for granted in the future.

 

Overall, a collective mindset shift is essential to create a regenerative tourism industry that benefits both the destinations and the people who visit them. “Real cases showed how it is possible to be a net-positive driven business/destination, rooted in sustainability values, caring for the environmental and social impact, and to be also financially successful. Tourism is a means to an end and not a final goal on its own. Regenerative tourism businesses do not only seek to be profitable but also to leverage a positive and beneficial impact in the communities and its environment,” the article concludes.

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The Enforce project partners met in the Slovenian city of Ljubljana on 30 and 31 May. Hosted by the Slovenian Chamber of Commerce (CCIS), the meeting was carefully organised and offered participants a mix of business talks and leisure activities.

Two regenerative experiences were at the centre of the meeting. These immersive sessions allowed partners to recharge their creative batteries and better connect with the city. You can find the two experiences on the map!

The next steps centred around the next steps of the project, which equipped the team and partners with the necessary tools to continue working on Enforce. The Enforce journey continues and the partners are determined to deliver results of the highest quality.

Les partenaires du projet se sont réunis à Aveiro les 14 et 15 septembre 2023. C’était l’occasion de découvrir la destination avec une approche régénératrice, afin de comprendre ses nombreux atouts mais aussi certains des défis auxquels elle est confrontée. Les réunions de projet en personne offrent toujours aux partenaires l’opportunité d’en apprendre davantage sur le travail du partenaire qui les accueille et d’obtenir des informations précieuses sur la destination. Cette fois-ci, les partenaires ont été accueillis par l’équipe dévouée de professionnels de la gestion et du tourisme de l’Université d’Aveiro, qui ont partagé une mine d’informations sur une ville nouvelle pour bon nombre des participants.

Le projet Enforce avance bien en ce qui concerne le plan de travail du projet. Après avoir achevé la collecte des meilleures pratiques, comprenant des exemples innovants de narration pour la régénération, ainsi que le Guide du Narrateur, les partenaires ont utilisé la réunion pour discuter du développement du Programme de Formation Enforce.

Au cours des prochains mois, les partenaires travailleront sur le développement du contenu conformément aux directives fournies par l’Université de Usak, notre partenaire turc dans le projet. Le cours devrait être disponible pour des essais pilotes en janvier/février 2024 et sera également disponible dans les langues des partenaires une fois que toutes les traductions seront finalisées.

L’équipe ENFORCE s’est réunie dans la magnifique ville de Luxembourg pour sa réunion de lancement. Celle-ci a eu lieu dans les locaux de la Chambre de Commerce Italienne au Luxembourg (également connue sous le nom de CCIL), qui a ouvert ses portes pour accueillir chaleureusement tous les partenaires.

L’équipe était consciente de l’importance de cette première réunion et l’a abordée avec enthousiasme. En effet, elle joue un rôle crucial dans la création de liens solides qui contribueront au succès de l’ensemble de la coopération. Les participants ont discuté en profondeur des premières étapes nécessaires pour le projet ENFORCE avec l’objectif commun de construire une base solide.

Au cours de cette visite, les objectifs du projet ont été examinés en détail afin de garantir compréhension complète des objectifs globaux pour chacun. Le résultat de la réunion de lancement a été extrêmement satisfaisant et a suscité de l’enthousiasme au sein de l’équipe. Ce fut un succès qui a inspiré et dynamisé l’ensemble des partenaires

Le voyage d’ENFORCE a officiellement commencé et avec l’expertise collective des partenaires engagés, il ne fait aucun doute qu’il prospérera et atteindra des résultats remarquables.

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« Le soutien de la Commission européenne à la production de cette publication ne constitue pas une approbation de son contenu, qui reflète uniquement les opinions des auteurs, et la Commission ne peut être tenue responsable de l’utilisation qui pourrait être faite des informations contenues dans cette publication. »

Project N: 2022-1-LU01-KA220-VET-000089887

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