Cali, October 28, 2024 – MT Lab, North America’s leading incubator for tourism, culture and entertainment, presented a new project for a Regenerative Tourism Innovation Hub in Abitibi-Témiscamingue at COP16 on biodiversity in Cali, Colombia.
Regenerative tourism is based on the desire to leave places and communities in better condition than before the visit.
MT Lab’s Regenerative Tourism Innovation Hub project has drawn interest of the United Nations Environment Program, which went on to include it in its official programming for the Business & Nature hub in the “blue zone”, which is the secure zone at the heart of COP16 debates.
The project also attracted the attention of the French Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, which included it in its official Quebec Day program, also in the COP’s blue zone.
These two presentations explained how this hub aims to stimulate the emergence of projects that revitalize territories and biodiversity, while creating eco-responsible tourism experiences, in partnership with local players.
The innovation hub will be open to any MT Lab partner destination wishing to preserve their ecosystems and reinvent tourism to offer positive impacts for their communities.
An Open-Air Lab
Tourisme Abitibi-Témiscamingue wants to steer tourism in their region towards sustainable development, such as the reconversion of decontaminated mining sites into sustainable tourist spots with the creation of eco-friendly accommodation. By proposing to be one of the first partners of the Innovation Hub, Tourisme Abitibi-Témiscamingue is making its territory and communities available as a testing ground for innovative companies.
The project has attracted the interest of Cali, the host city of COP16, which signed a partnership agreement with Abitibi-Témiscamingue during our visit. These two resource regions have much in common, in addition to their mining operations, a desire to develop tourism that is more respectful of preserving diversity and serving communities.
A Catalyst for Impactful Solutions
The Innovation Hub will identify needs with partners and the community, and attract relevant, concrete and measurable solutions to support regenerative tourism for well-being and biodiversity. It will use the MT Lab shared services, and accesse the solution pool of the MT Lab network.
Target innovations:
Target innovations:
Data: To better understand local residents, travelers, and environmental issues
Hospitality: To enhance visitor reception at destination and their relationships with local residents
Mobility: To optimize and rationalize the visitor’s journey and collaboration with residents
Experience: To offer more immersive and responsible activities
Process: To optimize the productivity and operation of reception infrastructures
Impact: To increase the benefits for local populations, and to reduce environmental impact
Hospitality: To enhance visitor reception at destination and their relationships with local residents
Mobility: To optimize and rationalize the visitor’s journey and collaboration with residents
Experience: To offer more immersive and responsible activities
Process: To optimize the productivity and operation of reception infrastructures
Impact: To increase the benefits for local populations, and to reduce environmental impact
The Hub will be set in place over the coming weeks. Contact your MT Lab partner representative for more information.
