Will Coronavirus Pandemic Encourage Regenerative Travel Among Travellers?

As the tourism industry grapples with coronavirus, operators and travellers are now looking at ways to improve future travelling experiences. In addition to the familiar practise of sustainable travel, the industry is now looking forward to exploring the concept of “regenerative travel”.

Regenerative travel is a new way of travelling, wherein you can contribute to make a place better than it was before you found it. Aiming to create a better future for the country, six non-profit organisations, including the Centre for Responsible Travel and Sustainable Travel International have come forth to join the global group -‘Future of Tourism Coalition’. The coalition includes six organisations aiming to place tourist destinations at the centre of recovery strategies.

Under the guidance of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the organisations (Destination Stewardship Centre, Sustainable Travel International, Centre for Responsible Travel, Travel Foundation and Tourism Cares) are working to encourage regenerative travel.

Focusing on how the tourism industry can benefit the society in general, Founder of a travel company — OneSeed Expeditions has said, “The areas of greatest need are not necessarily in areas of the greatest tourism attractions. We want to use tourism to be able to benefit people outside of those areas”.

A tourism organisation representing the Northern Belgium region — VisitFlanders is known for linking visitors with locals who are passionate about the country’s history and culture. Booking your trips with such organisations will help you to focus on regenerative travel as you will have an in-depth knowledge about a particular place.

Regenerative travel is associated with being mindful of the fact that your trip will have some implications on the place you visit and it is your responsibility to work on fixing those.

The coronavirus pandemic has increased the number of operators which go beyond simple in-house ‘sustainability fixes’.

For instance, many tourism operators in New Zealand have become involved in predator control programs like the Predator Free 2050. This program focuses upon bringing together people who envision a flourishing country with abundant native wildlife and forests.

As a traveller, you can contribute to ‘regenerative travel’ by making a mindful choice in selecting tour guides and choosing hotels that promote sustainable travel. Even when your adventure is over, you should continue to engage with local contacts and explore ways to engage yourself in improving the place you once visited.