A Regenerative Agenda May Well Be The Panacea To The Woes Of Overtourism A regenerative tourism agenda involves a fundamental shift in how we think about sustainability, moving from a focus on reducing negative impact, to a focus on creating positive impact.

As much as tourism has bounced back with a vengeance in 2024, this summer, we have also witnessed a mass upswing in outcry and demonstrations, which included, in Barcelona, acts of squirting tourists with water guns as a protest against mass tourism.

Similarly, over 20,000 protestors marched the streets of Palma de Mallorca under the slogan "Let's change course, let's set limits to tourism" calling for affordable housing, fair wages, better conservation of natural spaces, and respect for local culture.

Japan put up a screen to block access to views of Mount Fuji, after the government's efforts earlier in the year to cap visitor numbers and voting to introduce a surcharge for climbing Mount Fuji proved insufficient.

The Balearic party island of Ibiza, usually used to all the noise and abnormal behavior of tourists, saw residents protesting on the streets against the steep costs of living driven by the booming industry. Recent reports showed that renting a single room in a shared flat can cost as much as €2,400 per month, with landlords demanding the entire high-season rent upfront.

In addition, there were protests in the Canary Islands, with 57,000 people storming the streets demanding reforms to the mass tourism model.

Efforts to manage overtourism are evident in other hotspots too. The Louvre Museum in Paris increased ticket prices by nearly a third ahead of the Olympics, Bali imposed a 150,000 rupiah entry tax, Venice implemented a fee for day visitors, and Hawaii's governor proposed a climate tax on tourists.

Now, when you overlay the fact that the destinations now grappling with overcrowding could also soon be on the brink of extinction due to the relentless impacts of climate crisis, one wonders if a regenerative tourism agenda could offer the much-needed panacea.

A FAILURE TO ACT FOR THE PLANET AND PEOPLE

United Nations Tourism forecasts that international tourism will return to levels prior to the coronavirus pandemic of 2020 by year-end, with 1.3 billion international arrivals already recorded in 2023.

However, despite the window of opportunity to rethink and restructure tourism strategies post the COVID-19 crisis, most destinations have reverted to prioritizing short-term economic gains over long-term sustainability.

This has resulted in a resurgence of the same old issues: rampant overcrowding, environmental destruction, and the displacement of local communities. The problems that once plagued the industry are back, underscoring a stark failure to challenge the status quo.

This is happening concurrently when the planetary boundaries are being tested. Last year was marked by unprecedented wildfires in many regions of the world. Canada alone witnessed over 18 million hectares burned—an area twice the size of Portugal. In Europe, wildfires ravaged more than half a million hectares, devastating natural landscapes that attract millions of tourists annually.

When it comes to sea ice, 95% of the oldest and thickest ice in the Arctic has already disappeared. Meanwhile, the Amazon rainforest is shrinking, and carbon dioxide has reached atmospheric levels unseen in human history. Scientists warn that just in just seven years, major tourism cities like Amsterdam, Basra, Venice, New Orleans, Kolkata, Bangkok, Georgetown, and Ho Chi Minh City could be submerged due to rising sea levels, and that by 2050, 36 cities, including New York, Tokyo, London, Jakarta, and Istanbul, are predicted to face partial or total submersion.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports that in 2023, climate change-induced natural disasters resulted in 399 recorded incidents, leading to 86,473 fatalities, and affecting over 93 million people. The economic losses amounted to US$202.7 billion, contributing to an alarming $4.3 trillion in losses over the past 50 years. These figures underscore the urgent need for robust climate action.

TURNING THE TIDE THROUGH REGENERATIVE TRAVEL

Addressing the overtourism and climate crisis in tandem requires a comprehensive, regenerative approach. In the regenerative tourism paradigm, locals and tourists are seen as equally important figures when it comes to tourism management and destination planning. This means not only engaging local communities in decision-making, but also reducing emissions, restoring ecosystems and encouraging tourists to actively participate in conservation efforts.

At Aptamind Partners, we developed S.T.A.R.T. as a comprehensive strategy that ensures tourism development is truly beneficial to all involved. It not only sustains, but actively restores and rejuvenates local ecosystems and communities.

It begins with "stakeholder mapping," where you start by identifying and engaging all relevant stakeholders, including local communities, government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and businesses. For example, in the Maasai Mara community conservancies in Kenya, local communities, conservation organizations, and tourism operators work together to manage and benefit from tourism activities.

Then, through "transparent community consultations," the framework ensures regular interactions with locals to understand their needs, concerns, and aspirations. This participatory approach aligns any development with community interests, fostering a sense of ownership and pride among locals. This is evident in Bhutan, where the government's high-value, low-impact tourism strategy involves extensive, open consultations with local communities.

Next, "active capacity building" empowers communities by providing training and equips community members with the skills needed to thrive in the tourism sector and manage it. For instance, in Costa Rica, numerous programs train local residents, starting from schoolgoing children, in eco-friendly tourism practices, allowing them to benefit economically, while preserving their environment.

"Robust governance structures" then establish community-led tourism boards or committees that provide local oversight and management of tourism activities. These governance structures play a pivotal role in equitably distributing benefits and minimizing negative impacts. An example can be seen in Namibia, where communal conservancies are managed by local communities, who ensure that revenues are shared among residents, supporting local development and conservation efforts.

Finally, "transformational outcomes" are sought through continuous monitoring where by feedback and data are used to refine and improve practices. In New Zealand, the Tiaki Promise not only encourages visitors to respect and care for the environment, but they regularly evaluate and monitor its impact to ensure it is still meeting the regeneration goal of enhancement of natural, social and cultural assets.

THE WAY FORWARD

A regenerative tourism agenda involves a fundamental shift in how we think about sustainability, moving from a focus on reducing negative impact, to a focus on creating positive impact. It's a "values-driven" tourism model, and a completely new paradigm that calls for a radical change to the way we do business as usual.

It also calls for a change in leadership, in our mindset, and in tourist behavior, and it is about doing what you are good at, but in a way that is good for your health, health of your local community, destination, country, the economy, and health of the planet.

Regenerative tourism needs all of us to be conscious of planetary boundaries, move away from short-termism to long-termism. The big question is: will businesses change without being told to do so, or will this be another episode which we conveniently forget till it's too late?

Related: Regenerative Tourism Needs Women In Leadership To Activate Solutions For Change