Strategies for the Promotion of Regenerative Tourism: Hospitality Communities as Niches for Tourism Innovation

Regenerative tourism has emerged as a critical evolution from traditional approaches to sustainable tourism, which have proven insufficient to address contemporary environmental, social, and economic challenges. This study examines the case of ‘Aves de la Sierra’ in Huelva, Spain, a pioneering initiative that integrates ecosystem regeneration and community revitalisation as the core of its regenerative tourism proposal. Through the analytical theoretical framework of the Multi-Level Change Perspective (MLP) and transformative innovation, it analyses how local communities consolidate themselves as niches of innovation in regenerative tourism, autonomously managing their resources and narrative. The results of this action research process reveal a number of findings that can serve as a starting point for the dynamisation and development of other regenerative tourism experiences. These include the need for public policies aimed at strengthening these innovation niches through collaborative networks, organisational learning, and adequate funding. This article also contributes to narrowing the gap between theory and experience in regenerative tourism.