ATLAS SIG Regenerative Tourism Launch Webinar
ATLAS SIG Regenerative Tourism Launch Webinar
Launching the novel Special Interest Group on ‘Regenerative Tourism’
Friday May 8th, 2026
10.00 – 11.30 GMT
11.00 – 12.30 CEST
12.00 – 13.30 EEST
About the Special Interest Group
Regenerative tourism seeks to improve the regenerative capacity and the social and ecological wellbeing of places and communities (Bellato et al., 2023; Iddawala & Lee, 2025). There is a growing momentum to rethink the impacts of tourism on destinations. In response to this, regenerative tourism research has accelerated over the last few years with tourism scholars, industry and policymakers examining how it can address related challenges beyond a sustainable tourism approach. This Regenerative Tourism Special Interest Group (SIG) provides an opportunity to respond to the need for more research and to act as a positive force to advance the regenerative tourism mindset.
Webinar Agenda
11:00
Welcome and Introduction
Aisling Ward – Munster Technological University
Sanna-Mari Renfors – Lapland University of Applied Sciences
11.10
Overview of Regenerative Tourism – Academic perspective, knowledge and research gaps
Aisling Ward
11:20
Kaisa Kosonen – City of Helsinki Tourism & Destination Management
From Strategy to Systemic Change: Implementing Helsinki’s Regenerative Tourism Action Plan (2025–2027)
11:40
Vincent Nijs – Visit Flanders, Belgium
Regenerative tourism in Action – Destination Perspective
12:00
Inez and Niall Heenan – Fuschia Lane Farm, Co. Tipperary, Ireland
Regenerative Tourism in Action – SME Perspective
12.20
Next steps and upcoming events – plan for the year
Sanna-Mari Renfors
Speakers
Kaisa Kosonen
City of Helsinki Tourism & Destination Management
From Strategy to Systemic Change: Implementing Helsinki’s Regenerative Tourism Action Plan (2025–2027)
This keynote presents the City of Helsinki’s Regenerative Tourism Action Plan (2025–2027) and shares insights from its implementation. Moving beyond conventional sustainability frameworks, Helsinki reframes tourism as an active contributor to ecological, social, and cultural wellbeing within the urban system.
Helsinki is currently preparing a broader Tourism and Events Programme, in which regenerative tourism is integrated. This ensures that regeneration is embedded in the city’s overall tourism and events development rather than treated as a separate initiative.
The presentation outlines the plan’s key principles and explores how regenerative thinking is translated into concrete measures, ecosystem collaboration, and pilot initiatives. It reflects on early lessons, challenges, and opportunities in advancing regenerative tourism within mainstream city strategy and practice.
Vincent Nijs
Visit Flanders
Regenerative tourism in Action – Destination Perspective
Vincent Nijs is the Chief Strategist on the Board of Directors at VISITFLANDERS. He has also served as the Chairman of the Market Intelligence Group of the European Travel Commission (ETC) and is actively involved in the vice-presidency of the NECSTouR network for European regions.
Vincent will present the Visit Flanders journey towards the ‘Travel to Tomorrow’ initiative and his role as co-creator of this tourism vision which incorporates principles of regenerative tourism. The mission of “Travel to Tomorrow” is to make Flanders a flourishing destination with resilient, sustainable and future-oriented places that offer added value to all involved.
Vincent will also present the recently commenced Interreg NWE funded ReStart (Regenerative and Sustainable Tourism Advancing Regional Transition) project, which is focussed on accelerating the transition to regenerative tourism across Northwest Europe. ReStart seeks to empower tourism authorities and related stakeholders to move beyond sustainability towards regeneration – actively restoring and enhancing the destinations they serve and implementing regenerative practices into policy and actions.
Inez and Niall Heenan
Fuschia Lane Farm, Co. Tipperary
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Regenerative Tourism in Action – SME Perspective
Niall and Inez Heenan own Fuchsia Lane Farm; a fifth-generation family farm and rural retreat in Terryglass, Co Tipperary, Ireland. With over 30 years’ experience in hospitality, education, leadership training and coaching, they offer accommodation, workshops, group retreats, farm walks, recreation spaces, bicycles, a sauna, and more!
Niall and Inez will present on their regenerative tourism journey. Sustainable and Regenerative practices are at the core of what they do and their vision for Fuchsia Lane Farm is that it is a ‘container’ for conversations, growth, connections and encouragement, responding to the need for individual and collective action in order to care for the earth. Initiatives they have taken over the years include the creation of native broadleaf forestry, management of species rich meadows, installation of solar arrays, moving to EV vehicles, waste reduction measures, focusing on biodegradable natural soaps and shampoos in the cottages. They encourage their guests to speak a cúpla focal Gaeilge, enjoy the stories of the history and folklore of the family farm, time in the locality and to ‘live like a local’ in their beautiful part of Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands in the Lough Derg hinterland.
Moderators
Aisling Ward
Munster Technological University
Dr. Aisling Ward is a senior lecturer in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality and lead academic researcher in the Circular Economy for Regenerative Tourism (CERT) Research Group at Munster Technological University. Her research interests and expertise are in regenerative tourism and the circular economy, consumer behaviour, and marketing in the field of Tourism. She has extensive experience in EU projects and funding proposal development within CERT and is involved in 5 EU funded projects which are grounded in advancing regenerative and sustainable tourism development including RETURN (Interreg NPA); ReStart (Interreg NWE); DiBest (Interreg AA); SMARTCoast (Interreg AA) and CANSTAR (Interreg AA). Experience in the development and teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate tourism programmes within the University, including the MA in Regenerative Tourism and the PG Diploma in Sustainability for the Service Industry. Research supervision experience at Master’s and PhD level (4 currently).
Sanna-Mari Renfors
Lapland University of Applied Sciences
Sanna Mari Renfors (PhD) leads the Regenerative Business and Leadership Master’s Programme at Lapland University of Applied Sciences. She also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Tourism Research at the University of Lapland. For more than twenty years, she has been engaged in the teaching and development of higher education in Finland and within European networks. She has a strong track record in securing and directing related European research and development projects, guiding multidisciplinary teams and international networks. Her research focuses on how education and training can accelerate sustainability transformations, particularly through curricula and skills development, as well as on how living systems thinking can be integrated into business and tourism. She is a passionate advocate for shaping regenerative futures and embedding a regenerative mindset across both academia and business.
Fiona Scott-Hayward
Munster Technological University, Ireland
As research project manager in the CERT (Circular Economy for Regenerative Tourism) research team at MTU, Fiona works on inter-disciplinary projects on circular economy, regenerative tourism and digital skills for SMEs including CE4RT, DIBEST, RETURN, SMART Coast and ReStart. Fiona’s work involves project management, business support and development & delivery of training courses in the areas of circular economy, sustainability and regenerative tourism. Fiona supports delivery of microcredentials and modules within the MA Regenerative Tourism.