Travel Beyond Sustainable: Why the Future of Tourism Lies in Regeneration
Regenerative tourism is an emerging trend in the travel industry that goes beyond simply reducing the negative impacts of tourism. Instead, it focuses on actively enhancing local ecosystems, economies, and cultures, harnessing the power of travel as a force for positive change. Will regenerative tourism help mitigate some of the challenges of the future?
Last year was the hottest on record, with global temperatures rising by 2.12 °F (1.18 °C). We are at a pivotal moment in human history, with an opportunity to alter the course of climate change and work toward restoring our planet and communities.
Indigenous peoples and local communities, who manage and protect nearly a quarter of the planet’s most biodiverse and carbon-rich lands—encompassing up to 50% of the terrestrial area and 33% of intact forest regions—are on the frontlines of this challenge. These areas are home to an estimated 80% of the world’s biodiversity, making the stewardship of these communities essential to the planet’s future and well-being.
Sustainable tourism can play a meaningful role in supporting these communities. Local communities are natural stewards of their environments, promoting conservation through responsible tourism that minimizes environmental impact. Practices like serving local food, showcasing traditional farming methods, and educating travelers about local ecosystems not only promote conservation but also help fight climate change. Sustainable tourism puts people and the planet first by prioritizing the well-being of both communities and the environment. However, another more powerful model of tourism called regenerative tourism is gaining ground. Regenerative tourism takes it one step further than sustainable tourism. Instead of sustaining or minimizing negative impact, regenerative tourism aims to leave destinations in an improved state compared to their original condition, recognizing the potential for travel to be a catalyst for positive change.
The Need to Shift to Regenerative Travel
Ever since the global pandemic, regenerative principles have emerged as the future of tourism with the potential to create better conditions for people and lives to flourish. We now have the opportunity to rebuild a framework that fosters a travel experience that creates abundance for all stakeholders—one that is non-extractive, immersive, inclusive, diverse, and equitable.
“Regeneration is not just about making incremental changes, it is about changing the entire system. It is based on a new fundamentally different pattern of thinking. It is radical and transformative, and goes to the root cause of the problem” says Anna Pollock, a leading advocate for regenerative tourism in her interview “Introducing Regenerative Tourism”. Pollock is the founder of Conscious. Travel and has 45 years of experience in tourism as an independent consultant, strategist, international speaker, and change agent. She is one of the leading voices in regenerative tourism along with Bill Reed, one of the founders of regenerative thinking and how it can be applied to tourism.
While the concept of regenerative tourism is not new, it is not mainstream either in the tourism industry. Indigenous communities have historically practiced regenerative tourism, embracing travel as a means to enrich their cultural heritage and restore their surroundings yet these kinds of offerings are not always readily available in the market.
The good news is that destinations have the opportunity now to embrace regenerative tourism because travelers want these kinds of experiences. Per Booking.com’s 2024 Sustainable Travel Report, the majority of travelers are seeking regenerative experiences that positively impact destinations with benefits to wildlife, conservation, and the local community, and engage in local philanthropy and ethical experiences. 69% want the money they spend when traveling to go back to the local community, and 66% want to leave the places they visited better than when they arrived.
The opportunity is there yet there remains a disconnect between how destinations and tourism providers can apply regenerative practices in their tourism offerings and educate travelers of its impact. Thus there is a huge opportunity for the tourism industry to address this gap and provide more regenerative travel experiences.
Case Study: Panama
This past October, Adventure Travel and Trade Association (ATTA) the world’s largest global network of adventure travel leaders hosted the Adventure Travel World Summit (ATWS) in Panama. “Panama was chosen as they captured the vision for the incredible value that adventure travel could bring to the country,” says Shannon Stowell, CEO of ATTA. “Panama has great potential for adventure travel as a largely pristine country with so much biodiversity and amazing activities and cultures to offer.”
Located at the crossroads of two continents and two oceans, Panama boasts a rich tapestry of landscapes, cultures, heritage, and biodiversity, making it an emerging global travel destination. With over 64 percent covered in rainforest - Panama is one of only three countries known as carbon-negative. Furthermore, Panama is home to 7 Indigenous groups comprising roughly 12% of Panama’s population managing over a quarter of the country’s biodiverse land. As the country expands its tourism sector, it has adopted a sustainable model that prioritizes local communities and environmental preservation, ensuring growth that benefits both people and the planet.
Panama’s Commitment to Sustainable Tourism
The impact of the global pandemic provided the opportunity for Panama to redefine tourism, recognizing the need to move away from traditional tourism models of sun, beach, shopping, and casinos and take a more inclusive, sustainable approach. In 2020, The Tourism Authority of Panama under the guidance of the Minister of Tourism Iván Eskildsen launched the Master Plan for Sustainable Development to rebuild Panama’s tourism industry into one focusing on sustainable, community-based tourism.
“In today’s accelerated and chaotic world, we have lost much connection to nature and ourselves. Indigenous peoples hold access to traditional knowledge that allows us to live in greater balance with nature and ourselves. With the right focus, travel to Indigenous communities allows us to participate in this ancestral wisdom, and through our visit, we can help these communities preserve these cultural treasures for generations to come.”
- Iván Eskildsen (Minister of Tourism, 2019-2023)
Photo above: A demonstration of how to make traditional roofs in the Naso community of Sieykin. Courtesy of Nicole Melancon
To put the plan into action, the Tourism Authority of Panama (ATP), The Panamanian Foundation for Sustainable Tourism (APTSO), and nonprofit organizations Fundación Natura and Planeterra launched the Panama Alliance for Community Tourism (PACTO). Fundación Natura contributed $60,000.00 as a grantor for the project, while Planeterra supported the vision during its first six months as a technical advisor, paid by the project.
The goal of PACTO is to build strong and resilient communities in Panama through regenerative tourism. This goes beyond “sustainable tourism” and simply trying to minimize the negative impact of tourists. Rather, the innovative PACTO collaboration is utilizing community tourism as a tool to specifically generate new opportunities and achieve measured goals defined by local communities and indigenous groups. Ten indigenous communities were selected as the initial pilot programs (“pioneer communities”) for the plan that showcased some of the area’s unique natural wonders.
Map of the ten initial pilot communities (APTSO)
“These communities were chosen for their cultural and environmental significance, including Indigenous territories and national park buffer zones”. says Annie Young, Executive Director, Fundación Panameña de Turismo Sostenible (APTSO). “PACTO aligned community tourism with Panama’s strategic objectives for sustainable tourism, poverty alleviation, and environmental conservation”. The program ran from December 2020 to April 2023, overcoming challenges posed by COVID-19 and achieving several notable successes including capacity building, tourism infrastructure development, re-launch of ReD SOSTUR as a tourism platform, online training, and community empowerment. SOSTUR is a network dedicated to fostering sustainability, tourism, and regeneration in rural tourism initiatives.
It is no wonder that APTSO stands for Amor x Panamá + Turismo Sostenible = Oportunidades. With the mission to drive transformative change through a regenerative tourism approach, building climate resilience, creating equal economic opportunities, and enhancing the visitor experience, is exactly what APTSO is doing.
The Future of Regenerative Tourism in Panama
Almost five years in and nearing the end of the Master Plan, work still needs to be done to ensure continued progress. “It is important to consider that community tourism should be seen as a long-term sustaining effort to reach the desired levels and ensure quality tourism and authentic experiences,” says Young. APTSO secured a new grant from the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) that runs through April 2025 which will focus on the regions of Colón and Coclé to continue building out community and regenerative tourism initiatives.
“By fostering local ownership and leadership, the project aims to diversify tourism offerings, generate sustainable income, and expand educational opportunities, particularly for women and youth. Through the development of new tourism products—such as gastronomic and handicraft festivals, eco-friendly excursions, and professional guide services—along with improvements in community infrastructure (expected through funding from additional sources), this initiative will create local jobs and build a foundation for long-term economic stability and environmental resilience.” (Young).
This past June, in partnership with global non-profit Tourism Cares, Panama also launched its Meaningful Travel Map, an interactive tool for the travel trade that showcases vetted, sustainable, community-led enterprises, products, services, accommodations, and tours. The Meaningful Travel Map of Panama includes 20 local organizations from across the country that work to promote cultural heritage, environmental conservation, Indigenous communities, and regenerative practices. Visitors can do a variety of activities ranging from hiking on ancestral trails, participating in cooking classes, learning about regenerative farming techniques and traditional chocolate-making practices, and more.
While the tourism products are still relatively new, so far the success has been noteworthy. “Since launching new community tourism projects and experiences on the ReD Soustur website in July 2023, there has been a significant increase - up to 40% - in visitors to the site,” says Young. “Our ongoing efforts seek to scale community tourism, enhance local governance, and foster long-term partnerships for resilience. By aligning our program with national and global sustainability goals, APTSO is trying to develop, in partnership with local and international partners, a regenerative tourism model that supports Panama’s local economies and environmental conservation”.
Photos of a visit to the Naso communities of Bonyic and Sieykin courtesy of Nicole Melancon
When asked where Panama is at in embracing regenerative travel, Greg Takara CEO of Tourism Cares states:
“Panama has certainly made progress in terms of regenerative travel, but just like all of us in the industry, we need to continue to recommit to the work over and over to keep driving change.
As is the case with rich cultures like Panama’s that integrate its Indigenous history and peoples, regenerative practices are preserved, stories of best practices are retold, and local pride is instilled. These all help to advance the embrace of regenerative travel.”
“For hundreds of years, we’ve fought for our land, our culture, and our traditions,” says Virginia Sososo, a member of the Naso Comarca located in the Bocas del Toro province of Panama and one of the ten pioneer communities launched under PACTO. “Finally, we have the chance to share it with others through community tourism. It has allowed visitors to come here and learn about our culture and community and not take it away. To not extract things but to appreciate and respect our unique culture and land. When people stay for a night or two and spend time with us and talk to us, it creates an unforgettable experience and connects us”.
Nicole Melancon visited Panama as part of the Adventure Travel and Trade Association World Summit held in October 2024. As part of her pre-adventure tour with Step by Step Travel, she visited the Naso comarca and indigenous communities of Bonyic and Sieykin.