On regenerative travel, change, and sustainability

From “Do No Harm” to “Leave It Better”: The Rise of Regenerative Travel

Sustainable travel asked us to reduce our footprint. Regenerative travel asks us to leave a handprint.

As tourism rebounds post-pandemic, there’s growing recognition that merely sustaining destinations isn’t enough. Regenerative travel goes further, it actively improves the social and ecological systems it touches.

That might mean:

- Supporting local communities with fair wages and cultural respect

- Funding biodiversity conservation or rewilding projects

- Designing travel experiences that heal, not just entertain

In Southeast Asia, for example, regenerative tourism initiatives are empowering indigenous communities in Borneo, restoring coral reefs in the Philippines, and reintroducing agroecological practices in rural Thailand.

Travel becomes a force for regeneration, not extraction.

This shift requires all of us, travelers, tour operators, governments, and investors, to think long-term and act with intention.

Are we ready to rethink our role as visitors?