Reggae - Visit to International regenerative tourism conference, Ireland
Last changed: 10 December 2024
Delegates from the Reggae -project participated in the International Regenerative Tourism Conference in Ireland. The aim of the conference was to explore the future of sustainable tourism through a regenerative lens. It contained discussions and seminars about strategies for and examples of a more holistic, balanced approach to tourism development. Tourism that will deliver net positive benefits for businesses, communities and the environment.
Munster Technological University (MTU) hosted the International Regenerative Tourism Conference on Tuesday, 19th, and Wednesday, 20th November 2024, in Dingle, Ireland, parallel event together with CE4RT, the Circular Economy for Regenerative Tourism project. The conference participators included tourism businesses, academics, policymakers, destination management organisations, tourism bodies, climate leaders and local authorities. Over two days, attendees discussed and learned about strategies for and examples of a more holistic, balanced approach to tourism development. Tourism that will deliver net positive benefits for businesses, communities and the environment. The conference programme included international keynote speakers, academic papers, panel discussions, tours, and social and networking events over two inspiring days on the Wild Atlantic Way in West Kerry.
Five Delegates from the Reggae project participated and learned important eye-opening lessons within research (Luke, Centria UAS) and practice (Kristianstad, GOL). New contacts were made regarding planning for future events in our Reggae projects. We gained a better understanding of regenerative tourism and were also reassured that the Reggae project is on track. One way to put the main lesson is, “If you wonder if a product is regenerative or not, ask yourself if it changes the world into a better place?”.
The difference between sustainable and regenerative is that sustainability is passive and static, and sustainable products produce no harm. Regenerative products are active, dynamic, and sustainable but add something positive regarding culture, nature and/or society. Without regenerative agriculture, there can be no regenerative travel and tourism; soil and water are crucial. This is also the foundation for our nature-tourism Reggae -project. We want to regenerate what we have destroyed or abandoned. We need less tourism but more hospitality. Tourism is localism, “let’s go local”; we love our place and farmers. Tourism is a tool to change the place, for example, by getting more children into kindergarten. On top of that, doing good is good for business.
Regenerative tourism is a process. We need to break down the process into steps for companies and take one step at a time. For example, companies can be supported by monthly meetings. Regenerative is about a paradigm shift, a transformed mindset, driven by local regenerative movements that will become part of a significant global movement.
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