Naturally Iceland carries out its mission by operating a nature-based hospitality company. What is nature-based tourism and why is it so important to operate this way?
Nature-based tourism presents a form of self relief for many adventure and relaxation seeking tourists around the globe. The combination of nature-based solutions and nature-based tourism presents an economic, livelihood, climate positive and a non-formal method in promoting the multi-use and benefits of nature. More importantly, there are also increasingly well recognised benefits to health and well-being from closer contact with nature.
There are many potential benefits:
Source: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26490327_Outdoor_Recreation_and_Nature_Tourism_A_European_Perspectives
Unfortunately, traditional tourism – including on Iceland – doesn’t have a very good track record when it comes to the environment and visitors can produce many conflicts which must be resolved.
If done in a responsible and sustainable way, however, nature based tourism can be a force for the good and prove that protecting and preserving nature as it is, is a viable business model that creates a win-win situation for all stakeholders.
With this purpose, we will be following the guidelines of Preferred by Nature at our first project Hugarró Nature Retreat near Glymur.
