Building a Regenerative Future for Tourism Across The Malverns

The Malvern Hills have always inspired people. From dramatic landscapes and heritage towns to artisan producers, walking trails, wellness experiences, and independent hospitality businesses, this is a destination shaped by nature, community, and creativity.

Now, a new chapter begins…

As the ambitions of the Malvern Hills District Council 2025–2030 Regenerative Tourism Strategy take shape, we are inviting local tourism businesses, organisations, community leaders, and destination partners to help guide the future of tourism across the district through the creation of a new Regenerative Tourism Committee.

This collaborative committee will bring together passionate voices from across the visitor economy to ensure tourism not only benefits visitors — but also strengthens local communities, supports businesses, protects landscapes, and leaves the district better for future generations.

What Is Regenerative Tourism?

Regenerative tourism goes beyond sustainability. While sustainable tourism focuses on reducing harm, regenerative tourism aims to create positive impact — restoring natural environments, celebrating local culture, supporting thriving communities, and building long-term resilience for the destination.

For the Malvern Hills district, this means creating a visitor economy that:

• Protects and enhances our natural landscapes
• Supports local jobs, businesses, and producers
• Encourages year-round, responsible visitation
• Strengthens community wellbeing and pride
• Reduces environmental impact
• Creates meaningful visitor experiences rooted in place

The 2025–2030 strategy sets an ambitious direction for achieving these goals, and collaboration across the tourism sector will be essential to making it happen.

Why Create a Regenerative Tourism Committee?

Tourism works best when destinations work together.

The proposed Regenerative Tourism Committee will act as a shared platform for ideas, partnerships, innovation, and action. It will help coordinate efforts across the district and ensure the tourism industry has an active voice in delivering the strategy’s objectives.

The committee will provide opportunities to:

• Share best practice and success stories
• Develop collaborative projects and campaigns
• Identify funding and partnership opportunities
• Strengthen communication across the visitor economy
• Explore practical solutions to local tourism challenges
• Shape future tourism priorities for the district

Most importantly, it will ensure regeneration is not just a strategy on paper — but a collective movement driven by local people and businesses.

Key Objectives of the Committee

The committee will support delivery of the Malvern Hills District Council Regenerative Tourism Strategy through several core objectives:

1. Champion Sustainable and Regenerative Practices

Encouraging tourism businesses to adopt environmentally responsible practices, reduce waste and emissions, support biodiversity, and improve resource efficiency.

2. Support the Local Economy

Promoting local supply chains, independent businesses, local food and drink, makers, producers, and experiences that keep economic value within the district.

3. Enhance Visitor Experiences

Developing authentic, high-quality experiences that connect visitors with the landscape, heritage, culture, and communities of the Malvern Hills area.

4. Encourage Year-Round Tourism

Exploring ways to reduce seasonality, support off-peak visitation, and create a more resilient visitor economy throughout the year.

5. Protect the District’s Natural and Cultural Assets

Ensuring tourism growth supports conservation, responsible access, heritage preservation, and environmental stewardship.

6. Strengthen Collaboration and Community Engagement

Creating stronger connections between tourism businesses, local authorities, residents, land managers, cultural organisations, and community groups.

Key Topics the Committee Could Explore

To help deliver these objectives, the committee may focus on a range of practical and strategic themes, including:

• Sustainable transport and visitor travel
• Nature recovery and biodiversity initiatives
• Low-carbon hospitality and tourism operations
• Skills, training, and workforce development
• Destination marketing and responsible storytelling
• Accessible and inclusive tourism
• Community-led tourism initiatives
• Digital innovation and visitor information
• Events and festivals with positive local impact
• Walking, cycling, wellness, and outdoor experiences
• Supporting local food, drink, arts, and crafts
• Visitor behaviour and responsible tourism messaging
• Measuring tourism impact and success

The committee will evolve collaboratively, ensuring discussions reflect the priorities and opportunities that matter most to local partners.

An Invitation to Local Tourism Partners

We know the strength of the Malvern Hills visitor economy lies in its people — the independent accommodation providers, attractions, cafés, pubs, activity operators, retailers, producers, artists, volunteers, and community organisations who make this destination so special.

That is why we are inviting local tourism industry partners to become part of the Regenerative Tourism Committee.

Whether you are already implementing sustainable initiatives or simply interested in learning more and contributing ideas, your voice matters.

Together, we can shape a tourism future that:

• Benefits communities
• Supports thriving local businesses
• Protects the landscapes we value
• Creates memorable visitor experiences
• Leaves a lasting positive legacy

Join the Conversation

The launch of the Regenerative Tourism Committee marks an exciting opportunity to work together toward a shared vision for the Malvern Hills district.

By collaborating across sectors and communities, we can help ensure tourism continues to be a force for good — economically, environmentally, socially, and culturally.

We look forward to welcoming local tourism partners who want to be part of this journey and help bring the Malvern Hills District Council 2025–2030 Regenerative Tourism Strategy to life.

Together, we can create a regenerative visitor economy that truly reflects the spirit of the Malvern Hills.

Timeline and Commitment

For more information about the Regenerative Tourism Committee, please contact Victoria Carman, Visitor Economy & Place Manager at Malvern Hills District Council. [email protected].