Regenerative Tourism Models Developed in Regenerate Project Presented at 34th Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research

Karelia University of Applied Sciences (Karelia UAS) Regenarate project team took part the 34th Nordic Symposium on Tourism and Hospitality Research in Reykjavík, Iceland; one of the leading annual academic events in the Nordic region. Organised under the auspices of the Nordic Society for Tourism and Hospitality Research (NORTHORS), the symposium serves as an important platform for exchanging knowledge, fostering collaboration, and discussing emerging issues in tourism and hospitality research.

This year’s event focused on sustainable, regenerative, and socially responsible approaches to tourism development, featuring a diverse programme with thematic sessions addressing some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the tourism sector. Topics included tourism resilience and adaptation, regenerative tourism, ethical and responsible tourism, inclusion and social equity, visitor management, sustainable business models, cultural heritage, and the future of work in tourism and hospitality. The event took place from 5^th to 8^th of October, but team Karelia joined in on 6^th onwards, since the 5^th of October was dedicated to PhD students.

The official “conference section” of the event was kick-started on the 6^th of October with an opening ceremony at Perlan museum. There, participants listened to a presentation about Perlan’s development journey by founder and owner Gunnar Gunnarsson. The Director of Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, Guðrún Þóra Gunnarsdóttir, and the Minister of Industries, Hanna Katrín also provided official welcome addresses. Participants explored the museum exhibitions, discussing and engaging with other conference participants.

The following 2 days, 7.-8.10.2026, were packed with activity spanning almost 40 sessions. The four representatives of Regenerate project from Karelia UAS who attended the event were spread across the different sessions prioritised according to relevance for the Regenerate project's development work. The Regenerative Tourism Model for the Public Sector and Regenerative Tourism Public–Private Partnership (PPP) Business Model in Regenerate project was presented in session 20 of the conference that focused on Sustainable Business Models in Tourism and Hospitality: Circularity, Resilience, Governance and Impact.

Joining other expertise from across the Nordic region and beyond provided a valuable platform for knowledge exchange and mapping current challenges and developments within Regenerative tourism. As global challenges continue to reshape the tourism sector, the crucial role of academia and tourism stakeholder collaboration in guiding the transition towards a more equitable, resilient, and regenerative future became evident. 

The developed models in Regenerate project is undergoing review and translation after which it will be published!