Can Tourism Be Regenerative?

Moving Beyond “Zero Impact” Tourism

Regenerative, sustainable, ethical – we often here these buzz words thrown around when discussing tourism but what do they really mean? At their root, these words represent an effort to correct the increasingly acknowledged harms caused by tourism. From the environment, to the communities – tourism impacts every aspect of life at its destination, as well as globally.

The tourism industry today produces 8% of all global greenhouse gas emissions, and this year alone 2,923,000  square kilometers of land have been degraded due to tourism. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many places experienced environmental recovery as the reduced number of tourists allowed local ecosystems to regenerate in the absence of crowds, ships, and other imprints of human presence. As the world began to reopen and travel began to resume, the measurable recovery of these ecosystems in our absence pushed the question of “how can we do better?” to the front of the tourism industry.

This is where regenerative tourism comes in. But what is regenerative tourism? Regenerative tourism aims to go beyond just mitigating the negative impacts of tourism – its goal is to actually generate a positive impact for local communities, cultures and ecosystems. While this sounds like a noble endeavor, there is not always an obvious solution to putting these principles into practice.

What “regenerative tourism” looks like in practice can vary from place to place. Here, on Kaua’i two organizations have helped lead the way in showing how to build community-centered, regenerative tourism experiences. Hanalei Initiative and Hui Maka’ainana o Makana have joined together to manage tourism at Hā‘ena State Park. Through very practical changes, such as providing a shuttle service and establishing a reservation system, the organizations have created a situation that allows the park to remain open while reducing the burdens on both the natural environment and the surrounding communities.

Beyond the practicalities of managing tourism in the area, Hui Maka‘āiana has also established a curatorship with the state, contributing to the continued preservation of  historical sites alongside the environmental stewardship. But it is not just about preserving the history, Hui Maka‘āiana also runs educational programs to expose the next generation to a “holistic approach to ahupua’a restoration and management.”

At ICWF, one focus is ensuring that we are investing in future by making sure that the next generation has the skills and support they need to succeed. This year we will be joined by Hui Maka’aiana’s director of programming, Emily Cadiz, to talk about their initiatives and what she’s learned in her role as a mentor to countless students who have participated in Hui’s programming. As we look forward to building more regenerative systems, we are excited to learn from Emily and others about what role we can play in bringing up the next generation of regenerative leaders.

Sources:
https://sustainabletravel.org/issues/carbon-footprint-tourism/#:~:text=How%20Travel%20is%20Contributing%20to,of%20the%20world's%20carbon%20emissions.

https://www.theworldcounts.com/challenges/consumption/transport-and-tourism/negative-environmental-impacts-of-tourism