This Research Topic focuses on regenerative tourism and wellbeing. Regenerative tourism emerged as a response to the profound impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism and hospitality industry. It necessitated a re-evaluation of tourism's economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts and a call for more sustainable behaviors. This required inputs on how to shift the traveler's mindset toward more sustainable consumption of tourism and hospitality products and services. Since, the concept of regenerative tourism has attracted significant interest in research (e.g., ) and practice. Following the pandemic, the tourism and hospitality industry was seen as an opportunity for regeneration by destination managers and policy makers. The argument was that tourists would be more conscious of negative impacts that can be generated from tourism activities and would play an important role in mitigating those impacts. They would essentially be more mindful of their behaviors and contribute positively to their destinations, leaving them in better condition. This approach transcends traditional sustainability and benefits local communities and economies through a rejuvenation of the destination and resources used for tourism. This editorial brings together a collection of papers where contributors across several parts of the globe reflect on the potential for regenerative tourism across different contexts and its socio-cultural, environmental, and economic implications to promote sustainable tourism.
This Research Topic comprises of seven articles and collectively they present an informed collection on regenerative tourism. The objective of this Research Topic is to further explore the multifaceted dimensions of regenerative tourism and its various impacts on stakeholders within the tourism and hospitality industry. This volume brings together a wealth of evidence-based best practices for regenerative tourism in an attempt to contribute to people's wellbeing and planetary health. In addition, this collection advances knowledge in the field, supporting broader sustainability goals in line with UNEP and UN Tourism's participatory approach (). The articles in this Research Topic highlight the need for a multi-stakeholder approach in regenerative tourism, reflecting engagement among local communities, tourists, councils, tourism entrepreneurs, governments, service providers and destination marketers and managers. The articles presented have important implications for wellbeing of the people and the planet. Two main themes came out through the submissions: (1) Cultural co-creation, regeneration and wellbeing; and (2) Regenerative nature-based tourism and wellbeing.
Cultural co-creation, regeneration, and wellbeing
Liu and Huang present an interesting analysis of culture as a catalyst for regenerative co-creation. They investigate the role of “yuanfen,” a concept used to reflect “pre-destined connectedness” in driving customer voice through social bonds in P2P accommodation. Their study draws on Cognitive Appraisal Theory to demonstrate how “yuanfen” can shape pro-social engagement through strengthened social bonds. Their study has important implications for P2P platforms where hosts can encourage feedback through interpersonal and environmental cues, which can in turn promote relational warmth and connectedness.
Yue et al. look at key landscape imagery variables that support sustainable tourism development in two traditional Chinese villages: Yaoli and Huangling in the Jiangxi province of China. Through a comparative analysis the authors identify nine key landscape imagery variables as collectively shaping the sustainable development of traditional Chinese villages. Their findings are important to inform policy on the role of cultural landscape in regenerative tourism.
In a similar vein, Li et al. argue that when people travel they capture beautiful moments through photographs which serve as a visual narrative. They draw on normative activation theory and argue the need to promote courteous tourist behaviors, an area that is worthy of further investigation in sustainable tourism research. Their findings are relevant to destination managers; they emphasize the need for tourists' mutual cooperation and courtesy for satisfactory tourism experiences.
Regenerative nature-based tourism and wellbeing
Another theme prominent in the Research Topic is regenerative nature-based tourism and wellbeing. Drawing on positive psychology literature, Mamirkulova and Menhas investigate the mediating role of activity attachment in the relationship between gardening frequency, leisure orientation, and resident gardeners' mental wellbeing. Their findings show that those who participate in gardening as a leisure activity with a sense of attachment report higher mental health and lower stress levels. This is an important contribution to gardening behavior () and can promote heathier cities and mental wellbeing, hence contributing to an enhanced quality of life and planetary health. These studies align well with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In their study on birdwatching in Malaysia, Jafarpour and Ramkissoon investigate how the frequency of Malaysian birders' participation moderates the constructs of a Predictive Bird Conservation Model, a new conceptual framework that integrates the theory of planned behavior and the cognitive hierarchy model. Their study brings important recommendations to wildlife managers in that they should focus on participants' value orientation, an expression of avitourists' basic beliefs which provide a foundation for higher order cognitions, such as attitude.
Liu and Pu draw on positive psychology literature in their study in Chengdu, China and reflect on how meaningful tourism experiences foster gratitude and multidimensional wellbeing following major traumatic events. They argue that the latter can serve as a catalyst for meaning reconstruction and enhanced wellbeing. Their findings have important implications for tourism practitioners and managers, particularly on how to engage tourists in gratitude practices during tourism activities.
Nakajima and Okuchi explore how Japanese travelers experience transformative travel; they examine the cultural specificity of such transformative experiences. Their study draws on a comparative sample of Japanese adult tourists who had transformative experiences and those who didn't. This study brings an important contribution to the scholarly literature on transformative tourism experiences and wellbeing, beyond the western contexts. Enhanced humility and a deeper recognition of one's limitations were some of the culturally distinctive outcomes that emerged in their study, calling for additional research for more conclusive findings. This aligns with , which calls for more research in mindfulness and psychological restorative experiences.
This compilation of studies contributes to social cohesion, preservation of cultural and natural landscapes and present inclusive benefits (), hence advancing knowledge in regenerative tourism, people's wellbeing and planetary health.
Statements
Author contributions
HR: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. DK: Writing – review & editing.
Conflict of interest
The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
The authors HR and DK declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.
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References
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Summary
Keywords
cultural co-creation, pro-environmental behavior, regeneration and wellbeing, regenerative nature-based tourism and wellbeing, regenerative tourism, sustainability, Sustainable Development Goals, health and wellbeing
Citation
Ramkissoon H and Karagöz D (2026) Editorial: Regenerative tourism and wellbeing. Front. Sustain. Tour. 5:1893479. doi: 10.3389/frsut.2026.1893479
Received
28 May 2026
Revised
02 June 2026
Accepted
02 June 2026
Published
01 July 2026
Volume
5 - 2026
Edited and reviewed by
C. Michael Hall, Massey University Business School, New Zealand
Updates
Copyright
© 2026 Ramkissoon and Karagöz.
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*Correspondence: Haywantee Ramkissoon, rumi.ramkissoon@adelaide.edu.au; ramkissoonhaywantee@gmail.com
Disclaimer
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.