Tourism Revenue Transfer Models for Informed Policy and Planning

At RETURN, we support decision-makers across the Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) region by benchmarking and communicating diverse tourism revenue transfer models (TRTs). From tourist and accommodation taxes to voluntary contributions, we analyze and compare existing mechanisms to help regions identify the most effective and context-appropriate solutions. Our goal is to provide a curated selection of TRTs that can be integrated into tourism planning, ensuring adequate funding for communities, conservation, and long-term destination resilience.

About RETURN

The RETURN project promotes regenerative tourism to build a sustainable future for the Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA) region. Funded by the EU’s Interreg program, this three-year initiative brings together academic institutions, tourism organizations, and environmental NGOs to address a critical challenge: ensuring that tourism revenues contribute directly to local communities, environmental conservation, and climate adaptation. Regenerative tourism seeks to restore ecosystems, strengthen community resilience, and preserve cultural heritage. RETURN works closely with policymakers, decision-makers, and politicians at all levels, providing them with support, evidence, and practical solutions to explore and implement innovative revenue models—particularly tourist taxes and visitor contributions. These models empower individual travelers to directly support the destinations they visit. While the primary focus is on tourist tax, representing direct contributions from visitors, the project also considers the broader concept of tourism tax, which reflects the overall tax burden on the tourism industry. This distinction is key to ensuring informed decision-making. A core aim of RETURN is to equip leaders with the knowledge and tools needed to develop revenue strategies that foster both environmental and community well-being. Through collaborative research and hands-on guidance, RETURN helps make tourism a catalyst for resilience and regeneration across the NPA region. OUR APPROACH We believe in a regenerative approach to tourism that ensures local communities, nature conservation, and climate adaptation directly benefit from tourism revenues. Our goal is to assist decision-makers by providing knowledge of successful tourism revenue transfer models that focus especially on the social, cultural, and environmental sustainability of the tourism destinations. OUR INITIATIVES The RETURN project is an international effort to develop tourism revenue models that connect visitors with the sustainability of destinations. By supporting communities and ecosystems, we aim to secure tourism's long-term future. OUR PARTNERS The RETURN project unites leading academic institutions, tourism organizations, and environmental NGOs from across the NPA region to assist in creating sustainable tourism revenue transfer solutions. Through extensive interaction activities, we bring unparalleled expertise and regional reach. PROJECT DETAILS Project duration 36 months: 1.4.2025 - 31.3.2028 Total project budget: 1599583,48 euros Project partners: 7 Project associate partners: 16 Lead partner: University of Lapland Project and communication manager: Ari Martin Laakso

Collaborative Structure Across Three Work Packages

The RETURN project is structured around three interconnected work packages, each addressing a key aspect of tourism revenue transfer models. Every work package is led and supported by project partners, ensuring active collaboration, shared expertise, and regional relevance throughout the process. This cooperative approach strengthens the project’s outcomes and fosters meaningful exchange across the Northern Periphery and Arctic region.

The RETURN project identifies, evaluates, and documents tourism revenue transfer models, including taxes, levies, and voluntary contributions, to support local communities, nature conservation, and climate adaptation. By analyzing global best practices and real-world case studies, the project will provide a science-based guide for planning and implementation.

Key outputs include:

A Catalogue of 20+ Tourism Revenue Transfer Models
10 pilot models implemented in the NPA region
Policy recommendations & best practices for stakeholders

Through research, case studies, and targeted outreach, RETURN equips policymakers and tourism stakeholders with practical solutions for sustainable tourism funding.

The RETURN project analyzes and maps legal, regulatory, and policy frameworks to ensure that tourism revenue transfer models can be effectively implemented across the NPA regions. By the end of the project, we will provide science-based guidance on legal adaptations needed for successful integration.

Key outputs include:

A comprehensive legal framework for tourism revenue transfers
National-specific policy guidance & recommendations
Legal workshops engaging 30+ organizations across borders

Through research, consultations, and stakeholder engagement, RETURN equips policymakers and legal experts with practical insights to align tourism revenue models with national and regional laws.

The RETURN project empowers communities and decision-makers by integrating tourism revenue transfers into climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, and disaster risk reduction efforts. By combining scientific knowledge and local insights, the project builds the capacity for stakeholders to implement sustainable, regenerative tourism models that benefit both visitors and host communities.

Key outputs include:

A Regenerative Tourism Toolkit with community involvement models and educational materials
A case study on pilot-tested tourism revenue transfer models in collaboration with an environmental NGO
Stakeholder engagement across 50+ organizations through capacity-building events and workshops

Through interactive events, outreach campaigns, and pilot testing, RETURN provides science-based solutions for communities to effectively utilize tourism revenue for sustainability and resilience.

Tourism Revenue Transfer Models for Informed Policy and Planning

About RETURN

Collaborative Structure Across Three Work Packages

WP1 Mapping and Evaluating Tourism Revenue Transfer Systems

WP2 Adapting Tourism Revenue Models to Legal Frameworks

WP3 Strengthening Community Resilience Through Regenerative Tourism