Short Presentation (6 minutes) Australian Marine Sciences Association 2025 Conference

Rebuilding (with) nature: Leveraging blue carbon ecosystem restoration for regenerative tourism (#105)

Ahalya Suresh 1 , A. Rifaee Rasheed 2 , Melissa Wartman 1 , Susanne Becken 3 , Peter Macreadie 1
  1. Centre for Nature Positive Solutions, School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, Melbourne
  2. Deakin Marine Research and Innovation Centre, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Melbourne
  3. Griffith Institute for Tourism, Griffith University, Queensland

Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) are crucial to mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration, biodiversity support, and coastal protection. However, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened by many anthropogenic causes including unsustainable tourism practices. This conceptual framework introduces regenerative tourism in the BCEs as a proactive approach that integrates ecosystem restoration with tourism, directly contributing to the recovery of BCEs. The concept of regenerative tourism is rooted in ecological and systems thinking, which particularly argues for the necessity for regenerative economies – ones that do not merely sustain but heal natural and human systems. This represents a novel, transformative approach that seeks not only to reduce harm but also to heal and rebuild ecosystems degraded by past human activities. Tourism can boost ecosystem resilience through regenerative practices like habitat restoration, mangrove replanting, biodiversity conservation and citizen science activities. Additionally, this supports and sustain local economies by creating jobs, empowering communities, and fosters cultural revitalization. Despite these benefits, challenges such as ecological complexity, policy gaps, and the need for long-term investment remain significant barriers to the widespread adoption of regenerative tourism. By aligning tourism with the health of BCEs, regenerative tourism can offer a pathway to long-term ecological and socio-economic resilience.