How is Sustainable Tourism Evolving?

Published 18 April 2023

Authors
Laura Swain
Ruth Slater

Travel and tourism brands are looking at ways in which they can help secure sustainable futures for both people and planet.

It’s no longer enough for hospitality operators to simply ‘minimise’ their environmental impact. They must now make every effort to regenerate, replenish and fortify the destinations they work with for tourism purposes. This means caring for the natural environment, as well as supporting local communities impacted by tourist flow.

As consumer attitudes evolve, a shift from sustainable travel to regenerative travel is emerging as a key tourism trend and consumer priority. In fact, 90% of global consumers say they look for sustainable options when travelling, which they define as ‘lessening environmental impacts’ (69%), ‘supporting local economies’ (66%), and ‘supporting local cultures’ (65%). Here, we explore three travel trends rooted in regenerative tourism.

It’s no longer enough for hospitality operators to simply ‘minimise’ their environmental impact. They must now make every effort to regenerate, replenish and fortify the destinations they work with for tourism purposes. This means caring for the natural environment, as well as supporting local communities impacted by tourist flow.

As consumer attitudes evolve, a shift from sustainable travel to regenerative travel is emerging as a key tourism trend and consumer priority. In fact, 90% of global consumers say they look for sustainable options when travelling, which they define as ‘lessening environmental impacts’ (69%), ‘supporting local economies’ (66%), and ‘supporting local cultures’ (65%). Here, we explore three travel trends rooted in regenerative tourism.

Routes to Rewilding

Globally, biodiversity loss is ranked as the second-most critical environmental concern by consumers. Speaking to this eco-conscious cohort, sustainable and regenerative tourism initiatives are immersing travellers into wildlife havens and rewilding projects, transforming them into valuable citizen scientists.

Take Scottish rewilding non-profit Trees for Life, which opened its flagship centre, Dundreggan, in the Scottish Highlands in March. Guests stay in a 40-bed lodge, where they can participate in educational ‘rewilding’ sessions. The complex is also set to host researchers and students undertaking local sustainability projects.

Elsewhere, South Australian luxury lodge Arkaba Conservancy enables guests to check feral cat traps (the cats threaten local species), set up wildlife cameras, and join biologists on land surveys. Similarly, Exodus Travel has also launched new Citizen Scientist expeditions to support the eBioAtlas programme, a non-profit database project studying biodiversity in the global waterways, where guests collect water samples at different stages of their trip to contribute to the study.

Rewilding isn’t a concept kept exclusively for rural and remote landscapes. Take this regenerative tourism initiative and apply it in urban environments, and it's equally relevant. Brands based in metropolitan areas are encouraged to consider providing guests with a rooftop wild garden, green walls, and beehives.

Routes to Rewilding

Globally, biodiversity loss is ranked as the second-most critical environmental concern by consumers. Speaking to this eco-conscious cohort, sustainable and regenerative tourism initiatives are immersing travellers into wildlife havens and rewilding projects, transforming them into valuable citizen scientists.

Take Scottish rewilding non-profit Trees for Life, which opened its flagship centre, Dundreggan, in the Scottish Highlands in March. Guests stay in a 40-bed lodge, where they can participate in educational ‘rewilding’ sessions. The complex is also set to host researchers and students undertaking local sustainability projects.

Elsewhere, South Australian luxury lodge Arkaba Conservancy enables guests to check feral cat traps (the cats threaten local species), set up wildlife cameras, and join biologists on land surveys. Similarly, Exodus Travel has also launched new Citizen Scientist expeditions to support the eBioAtlas programme, a non-profit database project studying biodiversity in the global waterways, where guests collect water samples at different stages of their trip to contribute to the study.

Rewilding isn’t a concept kept exclusively for rural and remote landscapes. Take this regenerative tourism initiative and apply it in urban environments, and it's equally relevant. Brands based in metropolitan areas are encouraged to consider providing guests with a rooftop wild garden, green walls, and beehives.

Destinations Protect Communities

A quarter of global travellers are willing to pay more for activities that give back to local communities. To better engage with this cohort, and to ensure sustainable futures, businesses across the tourism sector must align their goals with sustainable mindsets and eco-positive actions.

Ol’au Palau is a tourism model from Palau, which encourages guests to interact with the Pacific island’s natural environment and culture. An associated app allows travellers to collect points for eco-friendly acts such as offsetting carbon, using reef-safe sunscreen, and participating in regenerative tourism projects. These points unlock cultural experiences that are usually reserved for locals, like meeting elders, accessing off-the-beaten-track hiking routes, and traditional fishing trips.

Elsewhere, Visit California has partnered with Visit Greater Palm Springs and US ethical booking site Kind Traveler to launch a programme encouraging positive impact through tourism in the Greater Palm Springs area. Sustainable and community-focused hotels in the region give discounts to those who give a $10+ donation to a local non-profit, as well as offer nature walks, culture and history-themed classes, birdwatching, and stargazing parties.

To incentivise travellers to engage in regenerative tourism practices, offer fun and interactive games and prizes that unlock experiences otherwise unreachable to them. This is a smart and subtle way to nudge tourist behaviours towards more sustainable practices.

Destinations Protect Communities

A quarter of global travellers are willing to pay more for activities that give back to local communities. To better engage with this cohort, and to ensure sustainable futures, businesses across the tourism sector must align their goals with sustainable mindsets and eco-positive actions.

Ol’au Palau is a tourism model from Palau, which encourages guests to interact with the Pacific island’s natural environment and culture. An associated app allows travellers to collect points for eco-friendly acts such as offsetting carbon, using reef-safe sunscreen, and participating in regenerative tourism projects. These points unlock cultural experiences that are usually reserved for locals, like meeting elders, accessing off-the-beaten-track hiking routes, and traditional fishing trips.

Elsewhere, Visit California has partnered with Visit Greater Palm Springs and US ethical booking site Kind Traveler to launch a programme encouraging positive impact through tourism in the Greater Palm Springs area. Sustainable and community-focused hotels in the region give discounts to those who give a $10+ donation to a local non-profit, as well as offer nature walks, culture and history-themed classes, birdwatching, and stargazing parties.

To incentivise travellers to engage in regenerative tourism practices, offer fun and interactive games and prizes that unlock experiences otherwise unreachable to them. This is a smart and subtle way to nudge tourist behaviours towards more sustainable practices.

Empowering Indigenous Groups

Appealing to the 96% of global tourists who say they want their holiday spending to have a positive impact on the destinations they visit, many travel brands are taking important steps to ensure their hospitality offerings support and uplift local communities and cultures. One evolution of sustainable tourism is the assurance that Indigenous communities will benefit from the tourism offerings.

India is home to 705 officially recognised ethnic tribal groups. Launched in 2019, Indigenous-women-owned Astrostays offers stargazing and cultural education trips in the Himalayas. To date, this regenerative tourism initiative has funded greenhouses and solar-powered water heaters for several local villages. Another brand centring Indigenous voices is Australian B Corp-certified company Intrepid. The brand offers a 100-strong collection of trips, including a five-day Walk Queensland Scenic Rim expedition led by local Ugarapul and Bidjara guides, and a medicinal garden visit and textile weaving workshop in a Mayan village as part of its Real Central America tour.

As regenerative tourism continues to evolve, demand for trips that centre Indigenous experiences is on the rise. It’s important to ensure that when acting on this insight, it benefits local populations without invading their privacy or crossing cultural boundaries. Consider hiring a local (Indigenous) expert in Indigenous culture to add a layer of authentic service and value to your brand proposition.

Empowering Indigenous Groups

Appealing to the 96% of global tourists who say they want their holiday spending to have a positive impact on the destinations they visit, many travel brands are taking important steps to ensure their hospitality offerings support and uplift local communities and cultures. One evolution of sustainable tourism is the assurance that Indigenous communities will benefit from the tourism offerings.

India is home to 705 officially recognised ethnic tribal groups. Launched in 2019, Indigenous-women-owned Astrostays offers stargazing and cultural education trips in the Himalayas. To date, this regenerative tourism initiative has funded greenhouses and solar-powered water heaters for several local villages. Another brand centring Indigenous voices is Australian B Corp-certified company Intrepid. The brand offers a 100-strong collection of trips, including a five-day Walk Queensland Scenic Rim expedition led by local Ugarapul and Bidjara guides, and a medicinal garden visit and textile weaving workshop in a Mayan village as part of its Real Central America tour.

As regenerative tourism continues to evolve, demand for trips that centre Indigenous experiences is on the rise. It’s important to ensure that when acting on this insight, it benefits local populations without invading their privacy or crossing cultural boundaries. Consider hiring a local (Indigenous) expert in Indigenous culture to add a layer of authentic service and value to your brand proposition.

Sustainability in travel and tourism is changing. These are just three examples from a plethora of fresh regenerative tourism opportunities for travel and hospitality businesses to tap into, and remain relevant to evolving traveller expectations.

Sustainability in travel and tourism is changing. These are just three examples from a plethora of fresh regenerative tourism opportunities for travel and hospitality businesses to tap into, and remain relevant to evolving traveller expectations.

Want to know more?

This is just a glimpse of our extensive hospitality and leisure trends research. Discover more of our experts’ latest research into how tourism is evolving.

Members can access our library of full reports. Not a member yet? Get in touch to find out how your business can harness more insights and trends like these.

Want to know more?

This is just a glimpse of our extensive hospitality and leisure trends research. Discover more of our experts’ latest research into how tourism is evolving.

Members can access our library of full reports. Not a member yet? Get in touch to find out how your business can harness more insights and trends like these.