We are happy to see that regenerative tourism is no longer a niche conversation. Across the Mediterranean, destinations, researchers, public authorities and tourism practitioners are increasingly exploring how tourism can contribute positively to the places it depends on. Rather than simply reducing negative impacts, regenerative tourism asks how tourism can actively strengthen ecosystems, communities, local economies and cultural heritage while creating meaningful visitor experiences. As the movement grows, however, one challenge has become increasingly clear: people often use the same words to describe different ideas. Some organizations approach regeneration through biodiversity and ecosystem restoration, while others emphasize cultural heritage, community wellbeing or new models of governance. These perspectives do not contradict one another, they complement each other. Yet without a shared understanding, collaboration becomes more difficult as projects may pursue the same ambition while using different language, priorities or ways of working.
Building common ground
Rather than creating another definition, Regenera4MED saw an opportunity to build common ground. The outcome is the Set of Guiding Principles for Regenerative Tourism in the Mediterranean. The document does not prescribe a single model for destinations to follow as every place has its own landscapes, communities, culture and aspirations, and regeneration must always grow from those local realities. Instead, the principles offer a practical reference for destinations, policymakers and tourism professionals seeking to shape tourism in ways that strengthen both places and communities. Although every territory is different, the same ideas surfaced again and again throughout the process: systems thinking, place-based approaches, collaborative governance, community empowerment, biodiversity protection, living cultural heritage, circular resource use, local value creation and continuous learning. Together, they describe not a destination, but a direction of travel.
Why shared principles matter
Their value lies in helping people work together. Whether developing tourism strategies, designing projects, facilitating stakeholder dialogue or reviewing existing policies, the Guiding Principles provide a common lens for discussing challenges and making decisions. Rather than prescribing solutions, they help different actors align around shared ambitions and recognize the connections between tourism, communities and nature. This shared understanding is particularly valuable because today’s tourism challenges rarely fit neatly within one department or one sector. Climate adaptation, biodiversity, housing, local economies and cultural identity are deeply interconnected. The Guiding Principles help bring these different perspectives into the same conversation, allowing discussions to focus less on terminology and more on creating positive change for places and people.
Shaped through collaboration
The Set of Guiding Principles for Regenerative Tourism in the Mediterranean is itself the result of collaboration. It was co-created through a cross-fertilisation process led by Regenera4MED partner B.Link, bringing together project partners, members of the project’s Advisory Board and representatives from Mediterranean projects and organizations working on regenerative tourism and related fields. Through surveys, consultations, an Advisory Board workshop and a final validation workshop, participants collectively refined the principles, ensuring they reflect a broad range of perspectives and experiences from across the Mediterranean. We would like to sincerely thank everyone who contributed their knowledge, expertise and time throughout this process, including representatives from SECreTOUR, Hydroscopia-REGEN, INOVA+, NIT – Institute for Tourism Research in Northern Europe, Green2Grow, Hope! El Gato Verde Producciones, Cerdanya Viva, Institut Regeneratiu, Lazio Region, VERNE Project, STEEDS Lab, the University of Aveiro, the Regenera4MED partnership, and members of the Regenera4MED Advisory Board, including Jeremy Smith, Marco Caprioni, Josep Francisco Rodriguez, Zvonimir Kulis and Angelika Sauermost. Their openness to exchange ideas and willingness to build on one another’s perspectives helped shape a document that reflects a shared vision for regenerative tourism in the Mediterranean.
From shared understanding to practical action
The Guiding Principles are only one part of the Regenera4MED journey. Together with the Regenerative Tourism Journey (RTJ) self-reflection tool and the free Regenera4MED Blueprint & Training Programme, they form a complementary set of resources that help destinations turn regenerative tourism from an idea into practice. The Guiding Principles establish a shared foundation, the RTJ tool encourages reflection on how we see tourism and our role within it, and the Blueprint translates these ideas into practical guidance, learning modules and examples from Mediterranean pilot destinations. Wondering where to start? Begin with the Set of Guiding Principles for Regenerative Tourism in the Mediterranean, then continue your journey through the RTJ tool and the Blueprint. You can also explore additional publications, tools and pilot experiences on the Regenera4MED website.
