Regenerative travel is inviting us to explore a higher level of consciousness, responsibility and awareness on how to live in and of this world. It is asking us to be deeply aware of the interconnectedness which is a part of our reality, and it is encouraging us to make choices to support each other towards the wellbeing of all, together.
Operators who wish to remain competitive are called on more and more to reassess how firmly their environmental ethos is rooted in the practical day to day reality of running a profitable business. Guests are increasingly seeking destinations which are environmentally friendly, have sustainability awareness programmes, are plastic free, conscious of local food production and waste and treat staff with respect.
As part of spa operations it is important to build awareness around the subject of consumerism and waste in all its forms. We cannot go through life without producing waste - it is a natural part of life’s many cycles of regeneration and renewal - however, we do have a choice about the kind of waste we produce, what we buy and who we buy it from. Put this into practice for your operation and then educate guests about how their actions and choices influence the local economy and environment.
If guests buy plastic, more plastic is produced and thrown away. If they buy cheap processed packaged food, more cultivated land needs to be created to produce what they want, and more waste is either produced there or back home. Encouraging guests to support local artists and creatives not only supports the local economy and community in a sustainable way, but has the added bonus of educating local communities to make sensible choices about their waste and consumerism in return.
Operators also have the opportunity to encourage the companies you interact with to think about their sustainability practices and encourage guests to do the same. After all, if consumers care, companies will have to care too.
Spontaneity and sustainability
Offering a space for guests to consider their lifestyle choices, and to be inspired to create new habits to take home with them, will make the world a better place. Everybody’s home is somebody else’s destination, so for guests to take a positive learning home, will benefit the world as a whole. To do this, be fully transparent about your sustainability practices and create experiences which encourage guests to participate, interact and learn from them.
How operators treat their staff, who are ambassadors of their own culture and country, will have an impact on how guests feel they can conduct themselves within that culture. Offer cultural meeting points for observation and interaction, rather than exploitation and entertainment. This creates a true invitation to the guest to meet themselves in the reflection of their experience.
Finally, encourage guests’ spontaneity and their way of being creative. Often the most inspiring memory for a guest, is that which rises organically and spontaneously, rather than that which is meticulously planned with the aim towards perfection.
Nature is spontaneous and when we trust in this wild abandon, spontaneous acts of kindness, creativity and generosity arise, out of which lasting moments of joy and meetings which touch the soul are born. Creativity and spontaneity are ultimately not only about connection and attunement to our environment, but about being in true service to other people and the planet.
