Ever feel like ditching the typical tourist traps and diving into spots where your presence makes a difference? Maybe you’re even up for rolling up your sleeves, a little extra bonding with the locals and doing something great for the community that’s hosting you?
Awesome! We’re right there with you. That’s why we’re diving headfirst into regenerative tourism. Just "not causing harm" isn’t enough anymore. It's about going beyond “leaving no trace” by leaving a positive mark and giving back to the places you visit.
So we're taking it up a notch with travels that actually help the environment. How do we do it? Instead of just hitting the typical tourist hotspots, we explore places where our presence can make a positive impact. If picking up trash gives you warm fuzzies, tending to a permaculture garden feels like therapy, and you get jazzed about “Let’s do this together” projects, then we've got something special for you.
No need to flip the internet upside down to find these usually well-hidden gems – we’ve tracked them down and put them on the Kind Travelers' Map for you.
The idea of sustainable tourism, which suggests we "harm less," is a good starting point for eco-friendly actions. However, it has a significant drawback: it may not be enough to address the challenges we face today. Given current environmental issues, simply "exploiting less and more slowly" feels more like delaying problems rather than solving them. We’re facing many challenges, from climate change and overconsumption of depleting resources to the loss of biodiversity and species extinction. The list goes on, and it’s not just about nature.
We don’t have the time or resources to maintain the status quo. Continuing with the current economic model feels like we're cutting off the branch we’re sitting on. Tourism has grown massively, and with that, its negative impacts—like taking over natural areas for more tourist developments—have increased too. If we don’t want “tourism to kill tourism,” we need a fresh approach to travel and some big changes.
But we don’t have to passively wait for politicians or decision-makers to take action. In the meantime, we can start making small changes to our travel habits and support actions that help ease the burden on the places we visit and help them regenerate. These changes might seem small at first, but just raising awareness about regenerative travel could spark a new era in how we travel. And that’s something to hope for.
Ecotourism Expert at Slowhop.com
Field Notes Editor, Journal of Ecotourism
The eco-friendly efforts you make while traveling can help the environment regenerate (that’s restoring the natural properties and proper functioning of the ecosystem you’re visiting). Why bother? Well, so that we can come back to the same spot in 10 years and still enjoy its unspoiled beauty, just like in a David Attenborough documentary.
Time to boost the positive impact of tourism. Will you help us? (Pretty please, with a cherry on top!)
For example, if you’re exploring the Bieszczady Mountains and staying at Pastelova Krova, and you feel today’s the day to earn some good karma, take a walk around and do some cardio by picking up litter.
What’s in it for you?
We know Hosts who will appreciate your efforts!
There are plenty of actions you can take to help the environment, all aimed at regenerating the place. Yes, travel can indeed do a lot of good.
Alright, you know some ways to travel with a positive impact. What’s next?
If you want to share the results of your actions, tag Slowhop.com on social media, and if you know places with a kindred regenerative soul, write to us here.
"When we travel ourselves, we strive to leave the places we visit better than we found them, and we share this idea with our Guests in conversations. Reusable shopping bags are available in the apartment, and we encourage guests to pick up litter during forest walks. Guests can buy a tree sapling from us, which they can plant themselves or we can plant for them in areas that need it. Additionally, we limit the number of our Guests by blocking 2 months in the calendar so that local forest paths, our garden crops, and rest areas can regenerate and rest from tourists."
– Kam and Mac, Przylesie 12
