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From ancient Himalayan valleys to the urban skylines of Singapore, sustainability is no longer enough. The future of hospitality lies in regeneration.
At the first-ever <a href="https://www.regenerativetravel.com/asia-symposium/?destinasian">Asia Regenerative Travel Symposium</a>, held at <a href="https://destinasian.com/partner-content/a-mindful-stay-in-the-heart-of-marina-bay">Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay</a>, speakers from across the region gathered to share the ways they’re putting regenerative design into practice.
<h2>1. Making a Bold Shift to Regeneration</h2>
“Regeneration means going beyond maintaining the status quo to actively repair, replenish, and restore ecosystems, cultures, and communities,” said Amanda Ho, co-founder of <a href="https://www.regenerativetravel.com/?destinasian">Regenerative Travel</a>. For many speakers, this idea went far deeper than environmental measures—it was about reshaping how the entire travel sector defines success.
Dr. Mark Watson, Group Director of Sustainability and Impact at <a href="https://www.groupbanyan.com/?destinasian">Banyan Group</a>, underscored that regeneration must push past carbon-neutral targets. &#8220;Net zero is just the starting line,&#8221; he said. “We must strive for a positive handprint, not merely reduce our footprint. We should be designing hotels that give back more than they take.”
<h2>2. Local Craftsmanship is the New Luxury</h2>
A powerful theme running through the event was the idea that the ultimate luxury today is authenticity. Rigzin Lachic, founder of <a href="https://dolkharladakh.com/?destinasian">Dolkhar Ladakh</a>, offered one of the symposium’s most personal stories, describing how she dismantled her 150-year-old ancestral home in Ladakh and rebuilt it using traditional materials.
“People in Ladakh believed luxury was imported—Italian marble, foreign furnishings,” she explained. “I wanted to show that local craftsmanship is luxury. Our artisans didn’t even know how valuable their skills were.”
Similarly, Jason Friedman, founder of <a href="https://www.jmfriedman.com/?destinasian">J.M. Friedman Hospitality</a>, emphasized that real luxury can’t be manufactured or staged. “We don’t want a Disney experience. We want real connections between our guests and communities,” he said. “At <a href="https://destinasian.com/luxe-list/2024-best-new-hotels-resorts-asia/shinta-mani-mustang">Shinta Mani Mustang</a> in Nepal, we worked directly with monks, villagers, and local elders so that everything—from color palettes to rituals—was handled with deep respect.”
<figure id="attachment_138032" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-138032" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-138032 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Shinta-Mani-Mustang-Nepal-11-Revised-2.jpg" alt="A water-powered prayer wheel; crossing a footbridge above the Panda Khola River en route to the Bon village of Lubra." width="1200" height="894" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-138032" class="wp-caption-text">Left to right: A water-powered prayer wheel; crossing a footbridge above the Panda Khola River en route to the Bon village of Lubra.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>3. Community is at the Heart of Regenerative Hospitality</h2>
Inge de Lathauwer, founder of <a href="https://destinasian.com/editorial/sumba-in-the-spotlight">Sumba Hospitality Foundation</a> in <a href="https://destinasian.com/category/indonesia">Indonesia</a>, spoke passionately about empowering local youth through education. “We’re not just training people for jobs. We’re opening their eyes to sustainability and empowering them to bring knowledge back to their villages. It’s their island, their culture—they should decide what tourism looks like.”
René Vijay Shrestha Einhaus, CEO of <a href="https://www.dwarikas.com/?destinasian">The Dwarika’s Group</a> in <a href="https://destinasian.com/editorial/himalayan-dreaming-with-shinta-mani-mustang">Nepal</a>, offered a poignant example of cultural preservation becoming the seed of a business. “These pieces were sold by weight as firewood,” he said, recalling how his grandfather started buying ancient wood carvings that were being burned. “Today, they’re priceless. We built Dwarika’s to prove that culture and heritage can be the basis for modern hospitality—and that local communities can thrive by preserving their identity.”
<h2>4. Preserving Culture Without Fossilizing It</h2>
Speakers also reflected on how to celebrate culture without freezing it in time, or turning destinations into theme parks. Richard Hassell, co-founder of <a href="https://woha.net/?destinasian">WOHA Architects</a>, cautioned that hospitality once fell into the trap of fetishizing local culture. “In the 1990s, many resorts recreated fantasy villages, complete with traditional huts. It was like Marie Antoinette pretending to be a shepherdess,” he said. “Culture shouldn’t be frozen. People in these communities are living modern lives, connecting with the world. Design must reflect that evolution.”
Jason Friedman reinforced this notion, describing his team’s sensitivity while working in Mustang, Nepal, “We asked monks for permission to use specific colors or symbols. We wanted to avoid any offense. Authenticity isn’t just aesthetics—it’s ethics.”
<figure id="attachment_140276" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-140276" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-140276 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Parkroyal-Collection-Marina-Bay-Singapore-Atrium-Hero.jpeg" alt="PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore is the city-state’s first garden-in-a-hotel." width="1200" height="800" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-140276" class="wp-caption-text">PARKROYAL COLLECTION Marina Bay, Singapore is the city-state’s first garden-in-a-hotel.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>5. Retrofitting Instead of Rebuilding</h2>
Another compelling insight was how retrofitting older buildings can save massive carbon emissions compared to constructing new ones. Phil Smith described the transformation of <a href="https://destinasian.com/partner-content/a-mindful-stay-in-the-heart-of-marina-bay">Parkroyal Collection Marina Bay</a>.
“There was a conscious decision not to tear down the building. We saved around 51,000 metric tons of carbon emissions by keeping the existing structure. Plus, we updated systems for energy efficiency, added biophilic design elements, and transformed the atrium into an indoor garden.”
Richard Hassall emphasized the critical role of sourcing local materials in minimizing carbon impact. “Stone from a quarry 10 kilometers away is sustainable,” he said. “Stone shipped from Italy? A carbon nightmare.”
<h2>6. Regeneration is in the Details</h2>
Regenerative impact can come from countless small choices woven into daily hotel operations. Phil Smith shared several creative examples from Parkroyal: “Instead of throwing away orange peels, our pastry chef turns them into marmalade. Pumpkin rinds become pickles. These little changes add up—it’s about examining every step in our processes.”
Arnaud Girodon, CEO of <a href="https://www.thedatai.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=6755609932&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACw4hAqZ3UKrl_6ZFl62HjGhUHa0Q&amp;gclid=CjwKCAjw1dLDBhBoEiwAQNRiQTH4gY46cUEz8ORSwyt1UDqucg6rP_NLMhiCur0y89miybZze00u9RoCkvQQAvD_BwE?destinasian">The Datai Langkawi</a> described how the resort engages guests directly in supporting conservation, “Guests contribute $10 a night to community and conservation work. And we keep it transparent—guests can see the projects they’re funding, 94% opt in because they want to be part of the impact.”
<a href="https://destinasian.com/editorial/sumba-in-the-spotlight">Sumba Hospitality Foundation&#8217;s </a>Inge de Lathauwe spoke of how sustainability in hospitality can radiate benefits far beyond the hotel walls, “Our permaculture farm produces a ton of vegetables and fruit a month on land that was barren. Our students bring those skills back to their families, so the benefits spread far beyond our campus.”
<figure id="attachment_132636" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-132636" style="width: 1080px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-132636 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Revisiting-The-Datai-Langkawi-Featured-Image.jpg" alt="The exterior of Datai Langkawi" width="1080" height="720" srcset="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Revisiting-The-Datai-Langkawi-Featured-Image.jpg 1080w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Revisiting-The-Datai-Langkawi-Featured-Image-300x200.jpg 300w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Revisiting-The-Datai-Langkawi-Featured-Image-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Revisiting-The-Datai-Langkawi-Featured-Image-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1080px) 100vw, 1080px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-132636" class="wp-caption-text">The exterior of Datai Langkawi</figcaption></figure>
<h2>7. Training as the Backbone of Regeneration</h2>
A recurring message was that sustainable operations hinge on people being empowered to drive change. Mark Watson stressed the importance of building capacity, “We can’t just create grand targets from corporate offices. We need to equip staff with practical tools and simple language to make sustainability real at the property level.”
René Vijay Shrestha Einhaus highlighted how Dwarika’s artisans keep heritage alive while adapting it to contemporary hospitality, “Our artisans are guardians of knowledge. When they see their work celebrated, it empowers them—and that pride fuels regeneration.”
<h2> 8. Real Experiences, Not Fantasy</h2>
While today’s travelers want comfort, they’re also seeking authenticity and honest connections. Richard Hassell shared a humorous but instructive anecdote from designing <a href="https://destinasian.com/bali-hotels-alila-villas-uluwatu">Alila Villas Uluwatu</a> in Bali. “We used agricultural plants in the landscaping because they were beautiful and native. But the local cows broke in and turned it into a buffet! So we partnered with farmers to give them landscaping cuttings for cattle feed. That’s authentic regeneration—messy, real, and connected to local life.”
<figure id="attachment_146024" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-146024" style="width: 1200px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-146024 size-full" src="https://staging.destinasian.com/wp-content/uploads/Alila-Villas-Uluwatu-Aerial-View.jpg" alt="Aerial View of Alila Villas Uluwatu." width="1200" height="800" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-146024" class="wp-caption-text">Aerial View of Alila Villas Uluwatu.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>9. Regeneration as an Inward Journey</h2>
Perhaps the most profound insight was that regeneration isn’t just external—it’s deeply personal. Rigzin Lachic said it best. “Regeneration starts within. Travel should deepen your relationship with yourself, the land, and the people you meet.”
From Nepal to Singapore, Sumba to Ladakh—the panelists  all shared the same vision: travel must become a force for regeneration, healing, and hope.

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