Across every climbing season in April and May, hundreds of climbers and their guides produce over 6,000 litres of urine – liquid that causes around 154 tons of melt on the Khumbu Glacier, the study says. This repeated seasonal input concentrates the warming effect in a small, heavily used area already under pressure from rising temperatures.

In recent years, climbers have been required to carry their faeces back down the mountain after their expedition, but the same rule does not apply to urine. After being encouraged to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, the visitors tend to urinate onto the glacier’s surface, melting it. 

Melting is not the only problem either. Urinating on the mountain pollutes water that reaches local communities. And at base camp, climbers who have paid between €26,000 and €260,000 for the privilege of summiting the world’s highest peak expect an increasingly premium offer. The camp proposes not only restauration and the respite of 1,600 heated and powered tents, but also Wi-Fi, coffee bars, and big screens—at a rate (in 2023) of 824 liquefied gas cylinders, over 5000 litres of petrol, and nearly19,000 litres of kerosene.

The result? Base camp temperatures are increasing at double the rate of the rest of the glacier, as reported by the New York Times, and three million kilograms of glacial ice and snow are lost during the spring.

Recognising Everest Base Camp as “a critical staging area for mountaineers” the study notes “a significant increase in human activity over the past few decades.” It adds: “The  increasing numbers of climbers, trekkers, and support staff, particularly at the campsite area, has intensified environmental impacts on the Khumbu Glacier.”

Scientists from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in the Nepali capital, warned as early as 2014 in a report that visitor-driven climate impacts could bring harsher and more frequent avalanches, floods, and landslides to the region, endangering both local communities and adventure-seekers.

Those predictions appear to be proving accurate. A high-altitude glacier collapse and flow of debris occurred on the China-Nepal border on 26 August, 2026, causing catastrophic flash floods and over 1,000 combined fatalities.

L’article Climbers’ urine is melting Mount Everest, researchers say est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The WTTC comments come as England is set to hand mayors across the country the power to charge overnight visitors an uncapped tax on their stay. The levies would apply to nearly all accommodation types, including bed and breakfasts, guest houses, hotels, and short-term lets. Proceeds are supposed to be retained for reinvestment in local priorities, such as connectivity, services, infrastructure, and events.

82 million more international travellers crossed a border in 2025 than the year before

International overnight arrivals reached 1.5 billion, up 5.6% on 2024.

China gained 9 million international visitors, France 8 million and Japan 6 million.

Vietnam and Italy each… pic.twitter.com/NCgs95KbgA

— WTTC (@WTTC) September 2, 2026

But the net effect could be negative, the WTTC said in a statement, flagging a possible decline in visitors from some of England’s biggest source markets. In the US, France, and Germany, an average of 29% of consumers told a WTTC survey they would consider an alternative destination or decide not to visit if asked to pay a €10 visitor tax. Domestic tourists from the UK were even more repulsed by the idea, with 39% of residents saying they would look at an alternative destination rather than pay £10.

The impact of a £10 scenario, the WTTC estimates, could be a loss of £14.4 billion (around €16.8 billion) in visitor spending in 2027, a decline that “demonstrates the potential scale of the economic impact when relatively modest additional costs influence travel decisions,” the WTTC said.

Commenting on the spectre of the UK becoming “a more expensive and fragmented destination at a time when competing countries and cities are fighting hard to attract international visitors,” Gloria Guevara, President and CEO, WTTC, said: “The UK should be making it easier to visit, not more expensive. Travellers have choices, and if the UK becomes less competitive, they will take their spending elsewhere.”

Guevara also highlighted the knock-on effects of less visitor spending, such as “weaker growth and fewer opportunities for the people and businesses that depend on Travel & Tourism.” She went on to urge the UK government to focus on “keeping the UK attractive and competitive as a destination. If we make it more expensive to visit, we risk losing the very visitors whose spending supports local economies across the country.”

The WTTC pointed out that previous government consultations have recognised the importance of ensuring any tourist levies are affordable and stable, and provide certainty for accommodation providers. It called for a policy oversight mechanism in case of excessive rates, and for assurances that any fees would “remain proportionate, predictable, and designed with the UK’s international competitiveness firmly in mind.”

L’article WTTC warns uncapped UK tourist taxes could cut visitor spending and threaten jobs est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The proposals would allow uncapped overnight fees, with mayors able to set their own tax rate and decide how to spend the money raised. Commentators predict the levy will come in at around five percent or less of the cost of accommodation. Applying to all types of stay, whether in a bed and breakfast, guesthouse, hotel, or short-term let, the tax would also apply to all visitors, regardless of nationality, meaning domestic tourists will pay the price too.

Analysts such as Tax Policy Associates have estimated the tax could raise receipts between £494 million and £977 million (around €577 million and €1.14 billion). But, like  trade bodies, they caution that the levy could also result in fewer visitor nights and reduced visitor spending, putting the loss at between £46 million and £1,550 million (between €53.74 million and over €1,810 million).

Critics have echoed those fears that the taxes could act as a disincentive to travel, as per World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) findings that 29% of travellers from the UK’s biggest source markets (the US, France, and Germany) would reconsider their visit if asked to pay a €10 visitor tax. For domestic tourists, the deterrent effect is even stronger, with over a third (39%) saying they would look at alternative holiday destinations rather than pay a €10 fee.

UKHospitality has estimated that a five percent charge would lead to a drop of 11.9 million visitor nights and a loss of £1.8 billion (€2.1 billion) in tourism spending in 2030. It also warns that nearly 33,000 jobs could be in jeopardy.

But supporters of the fiscal change point out that visitor taxes are becoming more common in destinations around the world, such as the Balearic Islands, various Spanish and Italian cities including notoriously, Barcelona and Venice, and Japan, as a way to generate funds and better manage overtourism. In the United Kingdom, Scotland has already empowered local authorities like Edinburgh to charge overnight guest fees, and city officials in Liverpool and Manchester have introduced them likewise.

A lengthy campaign by English authorities for the same powers has ensued. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has hailed the tax as a way to “raise and invest funding locally” allowing destinations to “reinvest in the places, infrastructure, culture and experiences that make London one of the world’s greatest cities to visit, while helping manage the pressures that come with welcoming tens of millions of visitors every year.”

As well as London, popular UK destinations from the West of England, to West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire, the historic city of York, and Northeast England could be affected. As voices continue to be heard on both side of the argument, plans to implement the tax are pushing ahead. It is thought the charges could come into effect from as early as 2029.

L’article Popular destinations in England set to charge tourist tax by 2029 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Shinjuku, one of 23 wards in the Japanese capital, is known for its bustling atmosphere, and thriving night-time economy. It boasts the world’s busiest railway station, as well as around 10% of Japan’s total private rental accommodation, but is developing a new reputation among its residents – for antisocial behaviour by tourists.

Visitors to the area are accused of littering, noise pollution, smoking, and even trespassing in a massive 1,300 complaints from residents in just the 12 months to March 2026, leading the local official with responsibility for holiday lets to tell AFP that the district was “planning to revise the current ordinance… to ban private lodging” near educational establishments and residences.

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The official drew a direct correlation between private short-term rentals and dissatisfaction among long-term inhabitants, saying: “As the number of private lodging businesses has risen, complaints and troubles around them have increased.”

In response to the surge in residents’ grievances, the new proposal to ban short-term rentals could affect up to 50% of the 3,775 private lodgings, or minpaku, registered in district by the Japan Tourism Agency (JTA).

Remaining short-term lets in residential areas will face calendar restrictions meaning they can only be rented out for 120 days per year, reducing the availability by a third in comparison to the current 180 nights allowed.

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The aim of the measure, which is likely to be approved by the mayor by February following a period of public consultation, is to promote a “tranquil living and educational environment” and limit behaviours that “hinder the maintenance of a permanent population and local community,” as per guidelines issued by the Japanese Tourist Agency in July 2026 that permit municipalities to regulate their own short-term rental market.

Despite the backlash, short-term rental giant Airbnb responded hopefully, telling the Guardian it takes local concerns seriously but believes “there is a version of this ordinance that protects residents’ quality of life without closing responsible, licensed hosts, and we want to help find it.”

Platforms such as Airbnb have made it easier for would-be landlords to rent out properties and have faced increasing criticism for their disruption of residential marketplaces around the world. Popular tourist destinations, notably in Spain have raised legal challenges and forced Airbnb to remove tens of thousands of non-compliant properties from its listings. Barcelona is heading for an outright ban on tourist flat rentals by 2029, while New York is insisting owners remain living in their property if they want to rent out a room for less than 30 days. 

Shinjuku’s approach comes amid wider overtourism concerns, including around Mount Fuji and in Kyoto, as Japan targets 60 million tourists by 2030 as part of an economic strategy to boost exports.

L’article Popular Tokyo district considers short-term rental restrictions amid resident complaints est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

“Parisians out!” read a sign in Plogoff; “Non aux Parisiens” was scratched into a car in Plobannalec-Lesconil, while in Penmarc’h tourists were told they were less desirable than migrants.

Parisians have long had a reputation for their character and moodiness, with a clear line often drawn between “the French” and “the Parisians”. Has the war between the two turned more brutal this summer?

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Several cars bearing Île-de-France licence plates were vandalised in the Finistère seaside town of Plobannalec-Lesconil, with inscriptions reading “non au Parisieim” [sic] and “Parigots dehors” – parigot being a derogatory slang term for a Parisian.

Mayor Loïc Le Fur expressed his “disgust” on social media, calling the vandalism “deeply shocking”.

“Our municipality has always been, and must remain, an open, welcoming and respectful municipality for everyone. I offer my full support, and that of the council, to the victims of this vandalism.”

He did not say whether that “support” extended to paying for the damage.

The hostility was not confined to Finistère. In Saint-Suliac, Ille-et-Vilaine, graffiti appeared on private properties, reading “Bobos out” and “Saint-Suliac is losing its soul”.

“Refugees welcome, tourists go home”

Parisians were not the only ones targeted. After severe heatwaves and wildfires swept through southern France this summer, tourists flocked to the cooler coasts of Brittany in search of some fresh air, placing an additional burden on towns and villages unaccustomed to and, in some cases, unprepared for such numbers.

In Penmarc’h, the words “Refugees welcome, tourists go home!” were daubed on a wall, while a jogger was verbally abused by two people on a bike after telling them, when asked, that she was not from the area.

The town’s mayor, David Le Berre, also took to social media to denounce the phenomenon. He insisted that the behaviour had nothing to do with “the welcoming spirit of Penmarc’h”, promised that the graffiti would be removed promptly and “firmly condemned” any form of verbal abuse.

Penmarc’h has around 5,600 residents, but its population triples to more than 17,000 in summer, straining roads, parking and a housing market already squeezed by second homes.

Between April and September last year, Finistère recorded 7.4 million overnight stays, making it the most visited department in Brittany. According to 2023 figures from Tourisme Bretagne, French tourists account for four-fifths of overnight stays in the region, with nearly a third coming from the greater Paris Île-de-France area.

But is this really new? Anne Gallo-Kerleau, president of Tourisme Bretagne, told Le Parisien that such expressions of discontent had always existed, and she denied that the incidents resulted from an exceptional influx of visitors this summer. She said that July visitor numbers were no higher than usual. A Tourisme Bretagne study cited by the newspaper found that 89% of Bretons consider tourism acceptable.

@rmc_off

Des tags anti-touristes en Bretagne… Plusieurs voitures immatriculées en région parisienne ont été rayées la semaine dernière dans le Finistère Sud avec messages hostiles comme "Parigot, dehors" ou encore "Non aux Parisiens."

♬ son original – RMC

Coolcations bring new pressures

If forecasts and travel trends are anything to go by, more holidaymakers will continue to desert the increasingly scorched Mediterranean south in favour of “coolcations” along the Channel and Atlantic coasts.

Brittany is not the only region experiencing a backlash. On the Île de Ré, “Parisians go home” leaflets have reportedly been circulated, and the situation in Corsica has reportedly become more threatening. A dormant independence movement resurfaced this summer to warn second-home owners: “Do not consider yourselves safe on our national territory.”

L’article Anti-tourist backlash in Brittany targets Parisian visitors est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Rather than following bucket lists, “Tiny Tourists” look for small and local experiences. That could mean visiting a supermarket, taking public transport, going for a run or looking around a local pharmacy. Travellers could also explore residential streets, visit second-hand shops or pay more attention to details such as street signs and gardens. The report describes this as a desire to experience the everyday way of living somewhere and compare it with life at home.

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The idea comes at a time when many popular destinations are struggling with overtourism. Large numbers of visitors are often concentrated around the same attractions, neighbourhoods and viewpoints. Social media can add to that pressure when a particular beach, restaurant or street suddenly goes viral. Tiny Tourism turns that logic around by suggesting that a viral video can sometimes be an indication of where not to go.

Everyday activities can instead become part of the travel experience. A supermarket abroad can introduce visitors to unfamiliar products and flavours, while public transport shows how residents move around their city. Local markets and neighbourhood shops can offer another perspective on a destination. Instead of constantly looking for spectacular sights, the Tiny Tourist Report encourages travellers to focus on smaller details and observe everyday life.

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Brussels provides an interesting example of how the approach could work. Almost every visitor knows the Grand-Place, Manneken Pis and Atomium, but much of daily life takes place away from those famous sights. Tourism data published by visit.brussels shows how concentrated visitor movements can be. In a 2023 survey, 97% of respondents visited or planned to visit the Grand-Place and city centre, compared with 20% for Flagey and Châtelain and 13% for Saint-Gilles.

A Tiny Tourist could therefore take a tram out of the historic centre and spend time in Saint-Gilles. Around the Parvis de Saint-Gilles, visitors can find a local market, terraces and small shops, while simply walking through the neighbourhood reveals its Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture. The same approach could lead travellers to the Marolles, with its second-hand shops and flea market at Place du Jeu de Balle. Matongé and Saint-Boniface offer another side of Brussels through their grocery stores, cafés, restaurants and specialised shops.

If visitors spread their time across different neighbourhoods, Tiny Tourism could potentially help redistribute some of the pressure created by tourism. Instead of thousands of people following almost identical itineraries, travellers could spend more time in different parts of a destination. Their spending could also reach neighbourhood cafés, markets and independent businesses outside the main tourism areas. However, Tiny Tourism is a travel philosophy rather than a proven solution, and the report does not establish that it can reduce overtourism.

The approach also has limitations. If thousands of travellers begin searching for the same supposedly authentic neighbourhoods and hidden places, today’s quiet street could become tomorrow’s viral attraction. Residential neighbourhoods are places where people live and should not simply become new tourist attractions. At the same time, there is no reason visitors should feel guilty for seeing famous landmarks, many of which are popular because of their cultural and historical importance.

Tiny Tourism therefore does not have to replace traditional sightseeing. Travellers could visit the Grand-Place in the morning before spending the afternoon wandering around Saint-Gilles or browsing the Marolles. Rather than trying not to be tourists, visitors could simply distribute their time and attention differently. Tiny Tourism may not be the single answer to overtourism, but its focus on smaller places and everyday experiences offers a different way to think about how we travel.

L’article Could the ‘Tiny Tourist’ approach be the answer to overtourism? est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

More than 80,000 people hike the Tour du Mont-Blanc every year, an influx that places strain on infrastructure in small towns and villages. Even places accustomed to visitors, such as Saint-Gervais-les-Bains, in Haute-Savoie, a village inFrance’s third-largest ski area, and a starting point for the Tour, cannot cope, according to mayor Jean-Marc Peillex.

In remarks to Swiss broadcaster SRF, Peillex recently pointed to how crowded parts of the Mont-Blanc trail have become, with back-to-back groups of hikers moving in single file. Littering and a lack of respect for the countryside are also problems. He wants visitor numbers to be restricted through a system of permits, with penalties for non-compliance.

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A set of rules coming into force next spring in Saint-Gervais and several other French municipalities will mean Tour du Mont-Blanc hikers are required to make advance reservations for a place in a mountain hut or an authorised basic bivouac zone. Anyone who finds the accommodation fully booked would have to postpone their plans, reducing visitor numbers and human pressure on the trail, Peillex says.

These Mont-Blanc municipalities are not the first to introduce advance reservations. Three mountain refuges (Nid d’Aigle, Tête Rousse and Goûter) already operate a similar system. However, the spread of pre-booking rules is causing debate among the hiking community.

#Prévention Ascension du Mont Blanc
Rappels :
Réservations obligatoires aux refuges
Bivouac interdit en-dehors du campement de base
Aux faux guides aux prix attractifs !
Nos camarades du @PGHMchamonix veillent sur votre sécuritéhttps://t.co/AiIMvh9AWd
F. Garcia pic.twitter.com/FK9DE4jgwz

— Gendarmerie nationale (@Gendarmerie) August 16, 2019

Mountain guides have highlighted the unintended impact on their work, saying they must now reserve places in refuge huts a year in advance, before they have client bookings. Critics of the reservation system also say it undermines people’s freedom to roam the mountains, could discourage active lifestyles, and may affect local economies by reducing visitor numbers and pushing hikers towards trail entry points elsewhere, such as Switzerland, where no such restrictions are currently planned.

However, for those who see the Alpine trail as already suffering from overtourism, reducing visitor numbers is a desirable goal.

Meanwhile, Swiss authorities such as Joachim Rausis, mayor of Orsières in the canton of Valais, have acknowledged that some regulation is needed but warned of the potential for visitor confusion amid differing rules between destinations. He called above all for “coordination between Switzerland, Italy, and France”, suggesting further access restrictions could be on their way.

L’article Popular Mont Blanc hiking trail faces new reservation rules from 2027 est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Can you describe the situation prompting the recent joint statement?

The situation is that there are a lot of boats on the sea, a lot of people using it. Malta doesn’t have abundant visible wildlife, so when dolphins or turtles do appear, people rush toward them, usually out of enthusiasm, not malice. I think it’s mostly a lack of knowledge and lack of information, which pushes people into an improper way to approach these animals.

There’s already a Code of Conduct for this, isn’t there?

Yes. ACCOBAMS, the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area, has published voluntary guidelines that predate my own career in the field. There’s not a law, but… as human beings, we don’t need a law to do the right thing. Malta’s Environment and Resources Authority and Transport Malta have both since run awareness campaigns echoing those same rules. This shows that the message is spreading, even if enforcement remains limited.

What is EcoMarine Malta’s responsibility as a tourism operator?

We have the responsibility to share this knowledge and to become ambassadors of the sea. That means teaching people to enjoy nature without being a burden: no touching, no feeding and no chasing. On our boat tours, rather than simply telling passengers what not to do, we let them see the difference for themselves. When we apply the code and they see the dolphins behaving naturally, doing whatever they want, they don’t ask to go closer. They just participate in what is happening. Often, the dolphins reward that patience by approaching the boat on their own.

Behind the statement is real data. Tell us about the research.

Between late 2023 and 2025, EcoMarine Malta ran a passive acoustic monitoring project, leaving an underwater recorder in the water to capture dolphin vocalisations independently of boat activity. We recorded 1,200 hours of vocalisation. Combined with nine years of photo-identification data gathered during our tours, the recordings showed dolphins consistently present in one area, night and day, in good weather and bad weather. This allowed us to identify it as a scientific hotspot rather than relying simply on an impression. That evidence became the basis for one of the statement’s central requests: a mandatory speed limit for all vessels in the zone to reduce both collision risk and underwater noise. Noise interferes with dolphin communication and can trigger the same anti-predatory stress response they show around sharks, which is especially dangerous for mothers with newborn calves.

Why does approach angle matter so much — coming from the side rather than head-on?

From the back, they can get scared. From the front, they feel attacked. Slowing down roughly 300 metres away and approaching from the side allows the animals to see, hear and assess the boat calmly. If they don’t perceive you as a threat, they can also choose to approach you.

The statement drew 29 endorsing organisations, but EcoMarine Malta didn’t claim the lead.

That was deliberate. It’s not about who is the leader of this action. The result is the most important thing. What united such a varied group, from ranger units to environmental NGOs, was simple: everyone cares about marine life, about the sea and about respect.

Has government engagement followed?

Yes. We have had renewed meetings with Malta’s Environment and Resources Authority, while operators such as EcoMarine Malta continue to act informally as eyes on the water, reporting both good and bad behaviour.

The statement also calls for a formal public reporting system. Giving this responsibility to the general public means everyone becomes more conscious of how they behave. The idea would be to have escalating warnings before any fine, with penalties reserved for repeat or severe offenders.

The mission is not to punish, but to create more information for a better conservation plan. I’m working for the people of the sea, the dolphins, the turtles and the seabirds, not against the people on land.

L’article On Malta’s waters, a fight to protect dolphins and a model for responsible tourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Exmoor National Park spans parts of Devon and Somerset in the southwest of England. It boasts sea cliffs, moorlands, streams, and deep valleys, which host rare temperate Atlantic Rainforest habitats. Park Authority (ENPA) data reports roughly 1.6 million tourism visits annually.

Now, “to reward users of the National Park for taking care of this special landscape,” the park has announced it is working with partners under Exmoor’s Good Tourism Plan and national “regenerative tourism” goals to “manage tourism in a way that benefits our communities, landscape, visitors, and businesses.”

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The “Pay with Exmoor Care” scheme rewards visitors who undertake “simple positive actions that support the care of Exmoor.” Started on 1 July and ongoing until 30 September, the concept offers participants a 20% discount on eligible purchases at participating Exmoor National Park Centres.

To qualify, participants must complete at least one recognised “Exmoor Care” action during their visit and provide “reasonable evidence” of it (such as photos, app submissions, or social media posts) at the point of purchase. The 20% discount is valid for a single transaction and is non-cumulative and non-transferable, with no cash alternative

The park authority says it was inspired by Copenhagen’s “very successful” CopenPay scheme, and has developed a similar promotion “more suitable” for a rural National Park. The Exmoor edition sees visitors earning their 20% for either: a two-minute litter pick; recording three plant or animal species they’ve found in Exmoor on the iNaturalist app; sharing “love and appreciation for Exmoor National Park” on social media using the @ExmoorNP tag; or journeying to the park’s centres by bike or public transport instead of a car.

According to the National Park authority (ENPA), the scheme brings to life the ambitions of Exmoor’s Good Tourism Plan, “supporting tourism that is regenerative, productive and resilient, ensuring that visitors, businesses, communities and landscapes all benefit.”

Dan James, enterprise and communications manager for ENPA, said: “‘Pay with Exmoor Care’ is a simple but powerful idea – rewarding small positive actions with real benefits. These simple actions positively contribute to Exmoor’s natural environment and communities; they help turn care into a visible, shared currency that benefits visitors, businesses and the landscape alike.”

This year’s scheme is a pilot, but the park has already expressed the intention to expand the good deeds discount by involving other providers, organisations, and business partners in the future. Find out about other destinations that offer sustainability perks here.

L’article Visitors to UK’s Exmoor National Park to receive discounts for environmental good deeds est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

“The question is no longer how tourism can do less harm, but whether it can give back more than it takes,” Meltem Acar, Vice President of Brand & Strategic Marketing at Paloma Group, told Travel Tomorrow during the Europe Responsible Tourism Forum in Brussels last June. “Regeneration begins with respect for the place, its people and its natural rhythms.”

For Club Marvy, Paloma Hotels’ flagship resort overlooking Türkiye’s Aegean coast, that philosophy is more than an aspiration. Earlier this year, the property received the Gold Award in the Nature Positive category at the ICRT Europe Responsible Tourism Awards, recognising its work in biodiversity conservation, habitat protection and marine stewardship.

Beyond sustainability

Club Marvy forms part of Paloma Hotels, a family-owned Turkish hospitality group that has welcomed guests to the Mediterranean for more than four decades. While sustainability has become an increasingly common objective across the hotel industry, Club Marvy was conceived to explore a more regenerative model of hospitality, one that aims not simply to minimise environmental impacts but to create positive outcomes for nature and local communities.

The resort opened in 2017 following the transformation of the former Paloma Club Sultan Özdere. Rather than clearing the site and starting from scratch, the redevelopment sought to preserve the natural character of Kesre Bay, a 160,000-square-metre landscape of protected pine and palm trees overlooking the Aegean Sea. Buildings were integrated into the existing topography, allowing the surrounding forest and coastline to remain defining elements of the guest experience.

That philosophy is reflected in two of Club Marvy’s guiding principles: “A transformation, not a construction” and “Respect before sustainability”, emphasising that responsible tourism begins with understanding the character of a place before attempting to improve it. 

Nature as infrastructure

The judges of the 2026 ICRT Europe Responsible Tourism Awards recognised Club Marvy for embedding biodiversity into its day-to-day operations rather than treating conservation as a standalone initiative.

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Habitat restoration, marine conservation, species protection and biodiversity monitoring all contribute to the resort’s long-term environmental strategy. Rather than viewing forests, beaches and marine ecosystems simply as attractive scenery, Club Marvy considers them essential infrastructure supporting the destination’s future.

This approach also reflects wider changes taking place across Mediterranean tourism. As rising temperatures, water scarcity and biodiversity loss increasingly affect destinations, many hospitality businesses are recognising that healthy ecosystems are not only environmentally valuable but also economically essential.

Rooted in local food traditions

Food plays a central role in Club Marvy’s regenerative philosophy. Rather than relying primarily on imported products, the resort places strong emphasis on seasonal ingredients, regional recipes and local producers. Olive harvesting, pomegranate festivals and traditional culinary experiences invite guests to discover the rhythms of the Aegean landscape while supporting nearby farming communities. The objective is not simply to showcase local gastronomy but to strengthen regional supply chains and preserve agricultural traditions that have shaped the area for generations.

The hotel’s sustainability programme also prioritises local procurement wherever possible, alongside careful supplier selection, resource efficiency, waste reduction and environmental awareness throughout its operations.

Culture as part of the destination

Club Marvy’s regenerative approach extends beyond the environment. Local craftsmanship, regional architecture, music, traditions and gastronomy are woven into the guest experience, allowing visitors to engage more deeply with the identity of Türkiye’s Aegean coast.

Speaking to Travel Tomorrow, Meltem Acar said regeneration is also about preserving cultural identity and ensuring that tourism strengthens, rather than dilutes, local traditions. “Looking back to move forward” and “The rituals of our ancestors” are guiding principles that reflect the belief that cultural heritage should remain a living part of everyday life rather than becoming a performance for visitors.

Rather than presenting local culture as entertainment, Club Marvy seeks to create meaningful connections between guests and the communities that shape the destination, helping ensure traditions continue to generate social, cultural and economic value for future generations.

Measuring hospitality differently

Club Marvy’s Nature Positive award reflects a broader shift taking place across the hospitality industry.

For decades, luxury hotels have largely been measured by comfort, exclusivity and service. Today, an increasing number of travellers also expect destinations to demonstrate environmental responsibility, meaningful community engagement and transparent sustainability commitments.

To support these ambitions, Club Marvy has implemented environmental management systems covering energy, water, waste, procurement and biodiversity protection. The resort publishes regular sustainability reports, promotes local sourcing, monitors resource consumption and works with employees, suppliers and guests to improve environmental performance.

As destinations prepare for a future shaped by climate change and growing pressure on natural resources, regenerative tourism is gradually moving from a niche concept towards a mainstream business strategy. For Club Marvy, the benchmark is no longer simply reducing its footprint.

As Meltem Acar told Travel Tomorrow, “The question is no longer how tourism can do less harm, but whether it can give back more than it takes.” At Club Marvy, that principle has become more than a vision. It has become the benchmark against which the resort measures its future.

L’article How Club Marvy is turning responsible tourism into everyday practice est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.