Sep 3, 2024
With a hypnotising mix of charming coastal cities, world-class
cuisine, and lush landscapes hiding immense biodiversity have made
the bicoastal country of Colombia one of the most sought-after
destinations in the Americas. We speak to Simon Faulkner, Lecturer
in International Tourism Management at University College
Birmingham about regenerative tourism, how it differs to
sustainable tourism and where Colombia fits into this.
Regenerative Travel is a relatively new term in travel circles that
aims to go beyond sustainable travel practices. While sustainable
travel focuses on minimising negative impacts and returning a net
neutrality on the environment and local communities, Regenerative
Travel aims to have a positive and transformative effect on those
environments and communities.
Put simply, the core principle of Regenerative Travel urges
travellers to have a positive impact by giving back more than they
take from the destinations they visit.
The term was born during the Covid pandemic, when locations
typically overtouristed began to see improvements in key indicators
like air quality, and less pollution.
The question was soon posed - how can these improvements continue
when travellers return? How can a destination benefit yet still
incentivise the protection of natural and cultural assets AND still
provide an enriching experience for the traveller?
Enter, Regenerative Travel.
The Colombia Briefing is reported by Emily Hart. Please check out
her Substack: https://harte.substack.com
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