Co-creating a regenerative future for tourism in Spain, with Sonia Teruel
Apr 19, 2025
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In this insightful discussion, Sonia Teruel, a consultant and founder of The RegenLAB for Travel, dives deep into the transformation of tourism in Spain. She examines the backlash against unsustainable tourism practices and the pressing need for community-driven approaches. Sonia shares innovative ideas that foster local culture and ecosystem preservation while addressing housing and business concerns in tourist areas. From envisioning a regenerative future to empowering local communities, her insights illuminate a path towards responsible tourism that benefits both visitors and hosts.
Building strong community engagement is crucial for empowering locals to shape tourism practices that respect their needs and culture.
The transition from sustainable to regenerative tourism emphasizes local values and community empowerment, prioritizing people and nature's well-being.
Innovative practices like agrotourism and cultural workshops illustrate how tourism can foster positive change through community participation and local knowledge.
Deep dives
The Importance of Community Engagement in Tourism
Building strong community engagement is vital for addressing the challenges posed by tourism, especially in areas heavily affected by its rise. This engagement allows locals to express their concerns and needs while providing a platform for collective decision-making. Initiatives that encourage collaboration among residents, local authorities, and businesses can drive more sustainable tourism practices. A community that feels valued and empowered is more likely to create and sustain meaningful visitor experiences.
Transition from Sustainable to Regenerative Tourism
The shift from sustainable tourism to regenerative tourism is significant in addressing the shortcomings of previous practices. Sustainable tourism focuses on minimizing negative impacts and often follows top-down approaches, whereas regenerative tourism emphasizes local values, community empowerment, and systemic resilience. This approach prioritizes the well-being of people and nature by designing experiences that honor the identity and vitality of the place. By fostering a sense of agency, communities can reclaim their power in shaping tourism according to their unique context.
Challenges of Commercialization and Local Backlash
Commercialization of tourism has led to significant backlash from local populations in popular tourist destinations as they face rising prices and loss of cultural identity. Cities like Barcelona and Valencia have seen community protests against short-term rentals and unsustainable tourist influx. These issues often arise from poorly planned tourism development that prioritizes profit over local needs, resulting in gentrification and environmental stress. Addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive understanding of the local context and collaborative solutions that respect both residents and visitors.
Innovative Practices from Emerging Initiatives
Emerging practices in regenerative tourism showcase various innovative strategies for creating sustainable and equitable tourism experiences. Initiatives like agrotourism focus on connecting visitors with local farmers, educating them on sustainable practices while promoting biodiversity. Projects that emphasize community participation, such as cultural workshops and local food experiences, help strengthen ties between residents and visitors. These examples demonstrate that tourism can be transformed into a force for positive change when guided by local knowledge and priorities.
The Role of Communication in Shaping Visitor Behavior
Communication plays a crucial role in guiding visitor behavior and expectations, particularly as destinations seek to promote responsible tourism. Educating travelers about local customs, environmental impacts, and appropriate behavior enhances their experiences while aligning with community values. Strategies might include messaging on booking platforms, clear signage, and campaigns illustrating local engagement priorities. By effectively conveying the essence and identity of a place, communities can attract visitors who respect their culture and contribute positively to the environment.
Today we’ll continue the miniseries I’m building on regenerative tourism. This time we’ll take a close look at the specific context of the country where I live, here in Spain.
Spain has been a top global tourist destination since the 60s and the industry that as grown to meet the demand for travel as shaped so much of the country especially the Mediterranean coast and cities like Barcelona, Valencia, and towns that have grown up entirely to cater to a specific type of budget tourism like Benidorm, Salou, and Lloret del Mar.
Yet in recent years there has been a major backlash from the local population protesting irresponsible development, skyrocketing prices, and exemptions from water restrictions directly related to the way tourism is managed.
Here to explore these challenges as well as the potential to chart a new course for both hosts and visitors is Sonia Teruel.
Sonia helps grassroots initiatives, entrepreneurs and Destination Management Organisations in their transition to a regenerative model in tourism. She is also a consultant, facilitator, and founder at The RegenLAB for Travel.
In this conversation we explore the meteoric rise of Spain as a tourist destination and its impact on the communities where visitors concentrate. We look at the challenges that have ignited protests and opposition to the way tourism is managed as well as some of the responses to these issues which may cause bigger problems in the long term.
From there we mine Sonia’s experiences as a community conversation facilitator who works to guide collaborative processes that explore the potential for new ways of managing visitors and hosts alike in order to achieve lasting solutions.
Sonia will be the first to admit that these efforts are still in their infancy and case studies of real success over time don’t exist yet in our region, but points to some promising projects to keep an eye on and perhaps emulate as they get established.
Though the focus is on the Spanish context, I have no doubt that there are equivalents to many other places around the world where the tourism industry has shaped development and policy for decades, and I hope many of you listening will find inspiration for where you live as well.
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