Cultivating Change: Exploring the Positive Impacts of Regenerative Tourism on Local Food Systems

Resumo

Recent studies demonstrate that there is no universal definition of regenerative tourism (Bellato et al., 2023). Notwithstanding, some approaches argue that regenerative tourism goes beyond sustainability, as it focuses on tourists leaving the places better than they found them (Duxbury et al., 2020). Related activities have the potential to revitalise and regenerate destinations by creating a cycle of positive impacts on local people and their economies, regenerating local culture and biodiversity, through authentic, unique, and memorable travel experiences (CBI, 2022). It is a holistic view and understanding that the future of tourism development includes local communities, the environment, and the commitment of visitors to the preservation and protection of natural, social, and cultural dimensions of the place (Fusté-Forné, & Hussain, 2022) and supporting the long-term renewal of social and natural environments (Dredge, 2022). Despite the absence of an academic definition for the term “regenerative tourism”, there are innovative tourism experiences that can be addressed as transformational as they create net positive effects by regenerating cultural, natural, social or economic ecosystems. Food, and food tourism play a crucial role, as every destination has unique gastronomic traditions that offer meaningful experiences with local culture. In this context, regenerative gastronomic tourism practices can create the opportunity to bring small local food producers into the tourism ecosystem, by creating new, more sustainable business models. The objectives of this study are: i) to develop a conceptual framework for the study of Regenerative Tourism practices, providing a solid methodological approach; ii) to conduct an exploratory analysis of the concept of Regenerative Tourism and emerging practices, particularly within food producers and the tourism ecosystem through relevant case studies illustrating regenerative initiatives, providing valuable guidance for destinations seeking to adopt Regenerative Food Tourism principles and practices; iii) to empower local food producers and to bring them into the tourism ecosystem through regenerative food-based tourism experiences contributing to a more resilient and regenerative global tourism industry.