It’s official: business travel has gone green – and not just in the token “use-a-metal-straw” kind of way. Welcome to the era of regenerative travel, where sustainability takes a back seat to something far more ambitious.
Forget leaving no trace; the idea now is to leave the world in better shape than you found it. Business travel in 2025 isn’t just about closing deals – it’s about opened minds and greener footprints.
Picture this: jetting off for a conference in Costa Rica, but instead of stuffing your spare hours with emails or spa breaks, you find yourself planting mangroves alongside local conservationists. Or, imagine heading to New Zealand, not just for its jaw-dropping scenery but also to help reforest hillsides by day and enjoy Māori cultural hospitality by night. Destinations like these have become pioneers of regenerative tourism, turning globetrotting into globe-giving.
And why should UK business travellers care? Apart from the smug satisfaction of out-green-flagging the competition, regenerative travel delivers on networking opportunities in ways you wouldn’t imagine. Whether you’re knee-deep in reforestation projects in Kenya or collaborating on coral reef restoration in Australia, you’ll find yourself bonding with like-minded eco-savvy professionals. Who knew an awkward icebreaker could be replaced by “Pass me the sapling, please”?
Accommodation choices are also stepping it up a notch. The Brando in French Polynesia, for example, is a luxurious eco-lodge that’s not just carbon-neutral – it’s carbon-positive. Likewise, in Scotland’s Highlands, hotels like the Alladale Wilderness Reserve offer stays that include conservation activities like planting native trees and wildlife tracking. It’s not all granola and hemp, folks. These are premium experiences designed to pamper you and the planet.
The beauty of regenerative travel lies in its dual-purpose nature: combining work with purpose. So next time your calendar fills with business trips, rethink your itinerary. Why merely sustain when you can regenerate?
As the saying goes, “What we save, saves us.” And who knew that mantra could include the office budget too? Eco-consciousness, after all, is very on par!