Travelling in 2025? Here’s how to become a ‘regenerative’ tourist

At the start of a new year, many of us contemplate resolutions aimed at self-improvement and a better lifestyle. It is also a time when many of us start thinking about holidays.

But have you considered combining the two? Could 2025 be the year when you resolve to be a better traveller?

For in 2024, many tourists were on the receiving end of a very loud and very clear message. In some of Europe’s most popular holiday destinations, including Barcelona and Mallorca, there were large protests^[1] against the negative effects of mass tourism.

Overcrowding, environmental damage^[2], unaffordable housing^[3] and cultural erosion appear to have pushed communities to their limits. There are vocal demands^[4] to make tourism more sustainable^[5].

So, perhaps it’s time for travellers to shift towards^[6] a more sensitive and responsible form of travel.

“Regenerative” tourism^[7], for example, aims to enhance the wellbeing of places and the people who live in them. Unlike mass tourism, which often strains resources and compromises residents’ quality of life^[8], regenerative tourism is about giving back – by supporting local economies, preserving cultures and nurturing the environment.

This means treating your holiday as more than a personal escape. Instead of just lying on a sun lounger, consider planting trees in a reforestation project or learning traditional crafts from local artisans and participating in cultural events.

Depending on the location, there might be chances to join in community programmes^[9] which help alleviate poverty or improve the lives of Indigenous communities. These actions can empower locals and help create a more inclusive environment.

Wherever you go, you can seek out experiences which help to restore and sustain^[11] the places you visit. Imagine, for instance, learning traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques as a way of supporting the artisans who keep this ancient craft alive in Italy.

In rural Spain, you could support local communities in remote villages by staying in family-run guesthouses. Or in Bulgaria, you could join farm-to-table dining experiences and visit organic farms in the Thracian Valley to help promote local food production and food security^[12].

There may be local events or workshops you can join, cooking classes you can take, or cultural festivals where you can interact with residents and appreciate their perspective.

All of these – and countless other examples – are opportunities for travellers to make a contribution to the places they visit, leaving a positive impact. They also offer the traveller the chance to make personal connections and unforgettable memories – providing moments to engage directly with locals people, to ask questions and learn about local culture and history and community activities. Being a gracious guest promotes goodwill and strengthens the bond between travellers and locals.

These connections also make holidays not merely about personal enjoyment, but about something deeper, with a positive affect on the places we visit.

So as you browse the idyllic destinations you might decide to travel to in 2025, it’s worth asking yourself whether you want to be a passive tourist, or a regenerative traveller who combines a sense of curiosity with a sense of responsibility.

Tourism in 2025 will be a big part of many countries’ economies^[13], but not everyone is happy with the industry and its impact on the world. Yet, consumers can change its direction.

The choices we make about our travel plans could mean the difference between a holiday that contributes to a legacy of positive change or one that perpetuates the social and environmental issues facing the planet and its people.

As we look ahead, the question is not just where to travel on holiday, but how to travel. Perhaps 2025 could be the year that your adventures inspire transformation, creating a sustainable and inclusive future for tourism. It’s a resolution worth thinking about for years to come.

References

1. ^{^} large protests (edition.cnn.com)
2. ^{^} environmental damage (www.sciencedirect.com)
3. ^{^} unaffordable housing (www.sciencedirect.com)
4. ^{^} vocal demands (www.bbc.com)
5. ^{^} more sustainable (www.sciencedirect.com)
6. ^{^} shift towards (www.unwto.org)
7. ^{^} “Regenerative” tourism (www.tandfonline.com)
8. ^{^} quality of life (www.tandfonline.com)
9. ^{^} community programmes (www.volunteerworld.com)
10. ^{^} VesnaArt/Shutterstock (www.shutterstock.com)
11. ^{^} restore and sustain (sdgs.un.org)
12. ^{^} food security (www.un.org)
13. ^{^} many countries’ economies (www.sciencedirect.com)