NS34 Session 18

 

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Title: More Than Sustainable: Regenerative approaches toward nature‑positive tourism

Organisers: Esko Sorakunnas, Henna Konu, Pinja Leino, and Juulia Räikkönen

Affiliation: University of Turku, University of Eastern Finland

 

Description

The growing prominence of regenerative tourism narratives reflects an ambition to move beyond conventional sustainability toward generating net-positive ecological outcomes ​(UNWTO, 2024; WTTC, 2022)​. This vision is both welcome and ambitious—but how realistic is it? Does the promise of net-positive impact withstand critical scrutiny, especially when local regenerative initiatives are contrasted with tourism’s wider global footprint? Most importantly, what would it take to truly transform tourism into an active force for good—an effective “Guardian of Nature” ​(cf. UNWTO, 2024, p. 2)​? 

This session explores whether regenerative approaches in tourism genuinely address ecological realities or are they thus far merely a reframing of traditional development narratives. We invite theoretical and empirical contributions that interrogate the ecological tensions inherent in tourism development, including the relationship between measurable positive outcomes and persistent mismatches in the scale and scope of impacts. Challenging “business as usual” thinking is encouraged, with particular interest in forward-looking solutions that position tourism in general or individual destinations and companies as responsible agents in safeguarding Earth’s vital ecological systems. 

 

Possible presentation themes include: 

  • Pathways for transforming tourism from a resource consumer into a custodian of ecological integrity 
  • Destination-level governance, community wellbeing, and collective action for ecologically regenerative tourism 
  • Demonstrations of destination- or company-level initiatives of successfully managing natural resources and biodiversity 
  • Approaches for measuring, verifying and scaling positive biodiversity impacts 
  • Companies’ ability and willingness to adopt new regenerative practices as well as their economic feasibility 

 

References 

​​UNWTO (2024). Nature Positive Travel & Tourism in Action. https://sustainablehospitalityalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Nature-Positive-Travel-Tourism-in-Action-April-2024.pdf 

​WTTC (2022). World Travel and Tourism Council: Nature Positive Travel and Tourism - Travelling in Harmony with Nature. 

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