Uniting the industry for change
key themes
Join us at the Regenerative Travel Summit, where we are bringing together all industry partners and stakeholders for a transformative journey toward a regenerative future.
Theme: Uniting the travel industry for change
The Regenerative Travel Summit is a platform to propel the industry towards a regenerative future. Together, we will explore innovative ideas, share best practices, and inspire one another to build an industry that creates a positive environmental and social impact. By joining us, you will have the opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals, forge partnerships, and contribute to shaping the future of travel.
Empowering Communities: Collaborative Models for Regenerative Tourism
Discover the profound impact of regenerative travel through the lens of hospitality companies that have implemented innovative initiatives that go beyond conventional tourism, focusing on active community engagement as a catalyst for societal transformation. Explore how tourism initiatives can serve as platforms for education, healthcare, cultural preservation and can transform destinations into thriving ecosystems.
Governance for Regeneration: How Destinations are Shaping Policy for the Future
Innovation in policy and legislation emerges as a pivotal cornerstone in the fight against climate change. We dive into models embraced by destinations including the United States, Antarctica, Canada, and the Seychelles that demonstrate legislative frameworks tailored for private sector engagement and conservation strategies. This collective effort illuminates how strategic policy and legislation can forge a transformative path towards a climate-resilient future.
Decarbonization in Travel: Measuring Sustainability and Achieving Net-Zero Impact
As the global travel industry continues to grapple with its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 8% of the total, the imperative to decarbonize becomes increasingly pressing. This panel brings together operators, innovators, and experts to explore strategies aimed at steering the travel sector toward a net-zero emissions future and highlights the importance of measurement and benchmarking in order to achieve net-zero.
From Plate to Planet: Hospitality’s Pivotal Role in Transforming Food Production
As food and agricultural processes contribute to over 30% of current greenhouse gas emissions, our keynote will highlight how the hospitality sector possesses the potential to extend its influence beyond its boundaries and make a crucial impact on another imperative facet of our global economy: food production and agriculture.
Katie Hoffman is a financial innovator, investor, and entrepreneur. Katie has over a decade of experience building and advising companies that drive measurable environmental impact in public and private markets. She has shaped policy and practice around Environmental, Social and Governance standards for individual, family and institutional investors, including the California public funds and members of the $40.4T+ AUM Divest–Invest initiative, which she helped lead.
Bill is a global sustainability and regeneration advocate/practitioner. He leads Re-source Group and Regenesis, which combine green/regenerative practices and education. Regenesis unites ecological design, permaculture, biophilia, integrative design, and organizational psychology into a whole system meta-discipline. Reed manages complex teams to integrate building and community planning with living systems.
Ivan Eskildsen, former Minister of Tourism of Panama (2019-2023). In his tenure, he led a pioneering shift to reshape the tourism landscape for sustainability and inclusivity. He championed the empowerment of rural and indigenous communities to preserve and regenerate the country’s ecosystems and ancestral heritage. Ivan’s ventures have celebrated Panama’s cultural traditions and biodiversity, captivating conscious travelers seeking meaningful experiences.
Robyn became the first South African to go to both the North and South Poles. That was the genesis for creating White Desert Antarctica as the first polar operator to be carbon neutral back in 2006, first using wind and solar power, and recently the first to use Sustainable Aviation Fuel. For the past five years she has served on the Executive Committee of Antarctica’s Tourism Governance Board, IAATO.
As Founder of Phocus Creative, Brittany is a climate storyteller with a passion for the intersection of sustainability, food and travel. She has 10+ years of expertise in experiential marketing, brand strategy, social media content as well as cultivating strategic corporate partnerships and sponsorships in the climate sector including working with small to large NGO’s and official United Nations and government agencies.
Christoph, a visionary and the CEO of WhatIF Foods, is on a mission to bridge the global Nutritional Paradox by introducing the world to the remarkable potential of the Bambara groundnut. Recognizing this resilient and underutilized legume’s incredible attributes, he was inspired to harness its power to address the stark disparities in global nutrition. With a keen eye on global food equity, Christoph and his team are championing the Bambara groundnut’s journey from a local West-African gem to a global regenerative crop.
A member of the Forbes 30 Under 30 2022 class in the Social Impact category, Alexia founded Symbrosia. With a background in green chemistry and a lifetime growing up amid entrepreneurship, Alexia’s passion is climate innovation management. Her previous work focused on the effects petroleum-based consumer products on public health, medical marijuana and a blockchain-enabled carbon accounting system.
As CEO and cofounder of AIR COMPANY, Gregory Constantine is commercializing AIRMADE™ technology to help decarbonize industries warming our planet. Under his stewardship, the company has won awards spanning Time Best Inventions, Fast Company World Changing Ideas and the XPRIZE for Carbon Removal. He has inked commercial partnerships with JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic and won multiple contracts from NASA and the Department of Defense.
With an unwavering focus on regenerative development in Southeast Asia, Melita is reshaping the landscape of sustainable practices. In 2007, Melita established the Koh Ouen Marine Reserve, Cambodia’s inaugural protected marine area. She then co-founded the Song Saa Foundation in 2012, dedicated to preserving underwater sanctuaries and empowering communities across the Koh Rong Archipelago and beyond.
Kathleen is a freelance journalist and editor focused on travel, climate, and sustainability. For the last 17 years, Kathleen has worked in travel media across print, TV, and digital focusing on the positive impact travel can make. Formerly Newsweek’s travel editor she spearheaded the Future of Travel Awards, and she contributes to outlets such as AFAR, National Geographic, Outside, Time, CNN Travel, Hemispheres, Condé Nast Traveler, Scuba Diving, Travel + Leisure, and more.
Nicole is the Chief Marketing Officer of andBeyond Travel, an impact and conservation-driven travel company which operates numerous lodges and luxury tours across Africa, South America, and Asia. She has been at the helm of andBeyond’s marketing team as the CMO for 8 years and has been with the company for 24 years. Her oversees the implementation, benchmarking and measurement of andBeyond’s future impact goals, including all impact plans, initiatives, reporting and communications.
Jeremy is an AOSIS Fellow and advisor on climate change and ocean issues for the Seychelles Permeant Mission to the United Nations. In his former role, he focuses on advancing the needs of Small Island Developing State / Big Ocean States in international environmental law with specific work being carried out on the high seas treaty, climate change and treaty on plastic pollution. Jeremy worked with SIF for 5+ years coordinating the foundation’s projects while contributing to national policy focused on climate change and biodiversity conservation.
Tessa Lee is the Senior Manager for Climate and Sustainability at Expedia Group. In this role she leads Expedia Group’s environmental sustainability and climate strategy, establishing strategic impact priorities and action plans. She covers efforts both to align the company’s operations with a Net Zero future, as well as efforts to embed sustainability and green travel options across its technology platform and accelerate the global travel industry transition.
Renee is an experienced attorney and owner of Tranquilo Bay in Panama. Renee serves as a volunteer board member for local tourism chambers, sustainability organizations, and a hotel advisory board. Renee is dedicated to supporting people and places to flourish, currently through her work at a lodge, community volunteerism, mentorship, and education in Bocas del Toro, Panama.
Anthony is NYLPI’s Director of Environmental Justice, guiding and coordinating the organization’s strategy, litigation, organizing, and advocacy initiatives. He was the Policy Coordinator and Green New Deal Policy Lead at Climate Justice Alliance and has advised various candidates, including Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Bernie Sanders.
Natasha Berg is the Founder of Tru Story, a boutique consultancy specializing in integrated brand, impact, and capital strategies that help mission-driven businesses truly make a difference. As a Consultant to the United Nations, she has developed and executed on engagement strategies for intergovernmental processes and outputs including the World Ocean Assessment. Natasha is a founding board member of the non-profit Oceanic Global and has served on the board of Unicef Next Gen since 2015.
Alejandra, a Colombian designer and weaver is dedicated to residing and laboring within the heartlands of Colombia, where her role as a social innovation designer has flourished. She is commited to listening and participative design has been instrumental in conceiving and bringing to fruition innovative strategies aimed at preserving ancient wisdom.
Ewald Biemans, an Austrian-born hotelier with 30+ years in hospitality, follows the CarbonNeutral Protocol to achieve carbon neutrality. The hotel conducted a gap analysis, leading to reduced CO2 emissions through the largest solar panel project on Aruba, efficient stove tops, procurement bundling, and improved waste diversion.
Registration and Exhibitors Open
Registration and Exhibitor Section Opens + Networking Break hosted by What If Foods
Empowering Communities: Collaborative Models for Regenerative Tourism
Discover the impact of regenerative travel through the lens of hospitality companies that have implemented innovative initiatives that go beyond conventional tourism, focusing on active community engagement as a catalyst for societal transformation. Explore how tourism initiatives can serve as platforms for education, healthcare, cultural preservation and can transform destinations into thriving ecosystems.
Kathleen Rellihan, Travel Journalist (Moderator)
Alejandra Lievano, Executive Director of Casa Múcura
Iván Eskildsen Alfaro, Former Minister of Tourism of Panama
Melita Koulmandas, CEO and Founder at Song Saa Collective
Renee Kimball, Owner at Tranquilo Bay Panama
Governance for Regeneration: How Destinations are Shaping Policy for the Future
Innovation in policy and legislation emerges as a pivotal cornerstone in the fight against climate change. We dive into models embraced by destinations including the United States, Antarctica, Canada, and Seychelles that demonstrate legislative frameworks tailored for private sector engagement and conservation strategies. This collective effort illuminates how strategic policy and legislation can forge a transformative path toward a climate-resilient future.
Natasha Berg, Founder of Tru Story (Moderator)
Anthony Karefa Rogers-Wright, Director of Environmental Justice at NYLPI
Bill Reed, Principal at Regenesis Group
Jeremy Raguain, Former Communications and Outreach Coordinator at Seychelles Islands Foundation
Robyn Woodhead, Founder of White Desert Antarctica
From Profit to Purpose: Achieving the Triple Bottom Line through Climate Innovation
In an era where environmental awareness increasingly aligns with astute business practices, the imperative to bridge the divide between profitability and sustainability has reached unprecedented heights. We will delve into the interplay between climate innovation, financial viability, scalability, and market integration. This essential synergy is what modern companies must adeptly maneuver to flourish within an ever-evolving landscape.
Brittany DeGirolamo, CEO and Founder at Phocus Creative (Moderator)
Alexia Akbay, Founder of Chief Executive Officer of Symbrosia
Christoph Langwallner, Co-Founder & CEO of WhatIF Foods
Ewald Biemans, Founder of Bucuti Tara Beach Resort Aruba
Katie Hoffman, Partner at Regeneration VC
Networking Break
Networking Health Break hosted by What If Foods
Decarbonization in Travel: Measuring Sustainability and Achieving Net-Zero Impact
As the global travel industry continues to grapple with its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 8% of the total, the imperative to decarbonize becomes increasingly pressing. This panel brings together operators, innovators, and experts to explore strategies aimed at steering the travel sector toward a net-zero emissions future and highlights the importance of measurement and benchmarking in order to achieve net-zero.
O’Shannon Burns, Program Manager at Cornell University (Moderator)
Gregory Constantine, Co-Founder & CEO at Air Company
Nicole Robinson, Chief Marketing Officer at AndBeyond
Tessa Lee, Senior Manager of Climate and Sustainability at Expedia Group
Vishal Kumar, CEO of Waste Warriors
Keynote: Hospitality’s Pivotal Role in Transforming Food Production
As food and agricultural processes contribute to over 30% of current greenhouse gas emissions, our keynote will highlight how the hospitality sector possesses the potential to extend its influence beyond its boundaries and make a crucial impact on another imperative facet of our global economy: food production and agriculture.
Jeff Tkach, CEO at Rodale Institute
Impact Awards Ceremony
Join our 2023 Impact Awards ceremony to celebrate people and projects that embody the spirit of regeneration—improving people’s lives, our communities, and the world around us. We acknowledge the most inspiring changemakers working to solve our biggest challenges and inspiring positive action, both inside and outside of travel.
Industry Reception
The Industry Reception at the Regenerative Travel Summit promises to be an extraordinary gathering of pioneers, influencers, and thought leaders from the world of sustainable and regenerative travel. Our reception will serve as a dynamic hub for networking and collaboration within the travel industry.
The Wythe Hotel, a converted textile factory from the early 20th century, is a pillar of sustainable and community-minded practices in the Williamsburg neighborhood. As the first New York hotel of the Regenerative Travel community, Wythe Hotel sets an exemplary standard for sustainable and regenerative tourism practices in an urban environment. The hotel’s unwavering commitment to environmentally responsible and community-minded practices is evidenced through its efforts towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We are collecting donations to contribute towards EQTR, a non-profit organization formed to create pathways to entrepreneurship and leadership in the luxury travel industry for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ college-age talent. We are committed to achieving equity in representation from BIPOC and marginalized communities within the luxury travel space, ensuring that the future of the industry reflects the culturally-rich and diverse world our industry serves to connect.
Ⓒ 2023 Regenerative Travel, Inc. • All Rights Reserved
