What is 'Regenerative Travel'?

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 00:53:36 GMT

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.

A Regenerative Travel program involves travellers committing to activities such as actively restoring and regenerating ecosystems, supporting local economies, engaging in community lead initiatives, fostering cultural exchange and reducing their carbon footprint.

The benefits of Regenerative Travel are seen on many levels. This type of 'slow travel' seeks to create a net positive cycle, where travellers and destinations mutually benefit from the experience, leaving a lasting positive impact on the environment, building capacities for local communities, and an increased respect for cultures encountered during the journey.

When travellers support locally driven initiatives and businesses, the communities receive the resources they require to care for and protect their environment.

The demand for this style of travel also drives the local communities to engage in action supporting this regenerative approach and the traveller, sharing more meaningful experiences during their journey, is more driven to respect and protect the land and local communities while travelling.

From a school travel perspective this style of experiential travel encourages a more holistic approach to education by incorporating real-world experiences into their learning process. Students immerse themselves deeper in the local cultures they encounter and learn even more from the communities they visit. This helps students understand what it means to be Global Citizens, encouraging positive change, both in their communities and beyond.

Regenerative Travel in action

An example of this is our T-HELP Nepal Regenerative Travel Program, where students help to construct a greenhouse and worm farm (vermicomposting) to provide the organic fertiliser necessary to create strong cultivation outcomes for the local community.

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We have teamed up with a local NGO, T-HELP, to implement a service program and help train local female farmers in the techniques of vermicomposting. This is combined with a group trek through the Annapurna Range through small farming communities and villages, into the location of the service program, gaining an understanding of the local environment and terrain, as well as gaining incomparable views of the Annapurna and Dhaulagiri ranges.

Overall, Regenerative Travel offers students a unique opportunity to combine personal growth, cultural understanding, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. It empowers them to become responsible global citizens who actively contribute to a more sustainable and inclusive world.

View our Regenerative Travel Programs for Schools

World Expeditions Schools Blog

What is 'Regenerative Travel'?