The Long Run Supports Critical New Research on Regenerative Tourism
The Long Run is delighted to have worked with researcher Chloe King in partnership with The University of Edinburgh and Solimar to develop a new framework for Regenerative Tourism. This critical research has now been turned into a white paper, and we’re delighted to feature several Long Run member case studies as exemplary regenerative businesses.
These case studies feature Long Run members: Borana Conservancy, Chumbe Island Coral Park, Nikoi Private Island, Six Senses Laamu, Samara Private Game Reserve, and Misool Resort.
The whitepaper looks at how tourism can begin to transform our economy, society, and values to prioritise humans and nature first outlining five core principles and actionable points for businesses that seek to make a regenerative shift.
We have an increasingly narrow window of opportunity for action before we reach critical climate tipping points. Tourism can be a powerful tool in achieving regeneration for both our communities and our environments.
The whitepaper guides you with 5 Principles for Enhancing Tourism with Nature-based Solutions:
Principle 1: Center Community Needs First
Principle 2: Improve Ecosystem Integrity and Biodiversity
Principle 3: Embrace a Diverse and Inclusive Business Model
Principle 4: Develop Transparent Governance That Distributes Power
Principle 5: Enhance Regenerative Partnership
Here, Chloe explains why she conducted this research:
Regenerative tourism has become the latest buzzword of the travel and tourism industry as we seek to build back after the pandemic. However, I think the term is not well understood, as it is difficult to grasp the total mindset shift that “regeneration” entails. This means going beyond doing things to nature or for nature, but thinking as nature thinks and seeing how one business impacts the entire living system that is a destination. By exploring regeneration in tourism through the lens of nature-based solutions, this white paper aims to give tourism operators practical tools to unlock finance and address climate mitigation and adaptation, while ensuring that they center community needs and bring nature at the center of their business ethos in beginning the regenerative shift.
About Chloe King, Principal Investigator, and co-author
Chloe King is a marine conservationist, social scientist, and sustainable tourism consultant, with experience both implementing and academically interrogating conservation and development projects in over a dozen destinations globally. As a PADI Divemaster, Chloe led marine conservation projects in Indonesia and Timor-Leste as a Boren Scholar, Projects for Peace Fellow, and Fulbright Scholar. As the Director of Conservation & Community Development for Solimar International, she has managed numerous projects utilizing tourism as a catalyst to achieve sustainable development objectives. Chloe holds a BA in International Affairs from the George Washington University, an MSc in Marine Systems and Policy from the University of Edinburgh, and an MPhil in Conservation Leadership from the University of Cambridge as a Marshall Scholar.
About O’Shannon Burns, co-author
O’Shannon Burns is a senior sustainability consultant with more than 13 years’ experience shaping mission-driven businesses and embedding regenerative principles into operations with a focus on travel, tourism, climate action, conservation, and environmental justice. She has collaborated with The World Bank, Disney, National Geographic, Regenerative Travel, and dozens of small businesses on sustainability strategy and management. O’Shannon is part of Cornell University’s Sustainable Tourism Asset Management Program at the SC Johnson College of Business where she is currently developing an online course on the sustainable management of tourism destinations. She holds a Master’s in Sustainability from Harvard University and a BS in Physical Geography with a focus on Climate Science.
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