Regenerative tourism and what it means to us

What is regenerative tourism and what does it mean to us?

What does it mean to run a regenerative hotel? What exactly is regenerative tourism?

I don't think there is one definitive answer, but I would like to tell you a little about what it means to us and about our philosophy.

Care as a driving force, not just good intentions

For us, regenerative thinking is really about something simple: care. Care for ourselves, the people around us and the nature we live from and alongside.

This is not something we grew up with. We have had to learn it ourselves by shaping our concept over time. The motivation came from within and simply made sense. Perhaps because this is part of what it means to be human? It is in our genes; we just need to tune in and listen.

It requires vulnerability and resilience to acknowledge that we don't have all the answers, but we must be willing to learn and adapt when we know better. It requires knowledge of living systems, not just good intentions.

Respect for history and nature

We cannot create genuine change without understanding the history of the place we call home. On our family farm, 25 buildings from the 16th to the 20th century still stand. Walking among them, we feel that this has been home to many generations before us and our ancestors tell us something about how to live with nature here, not against it. This humility is our starting point.

We also process the raw ingredients from our own farm animals ourselves. Meat, fish and game are cared for and used in full, with respect for the animal and its resources. This is how we run Skåbu Høyfjellsmat, our own food brand, and it is a natural extension of taking proper care of the animals and the nature in which we live.

Local collaboration and locally sourced ingredients

This also means local collaboration with hunters who harvest game from the mountains, with local fishermen, and with farmers who deliver milk straight from their farm to our hotel. All our food waste is cooked into our own pig feed, so we have virtually zero food waste for much of the year. Our guests get to know the history and culture of the place they are visiting and taste what makes it unique.

For us, these are not words of grandeur but rather principles we try to live by every day here at Skåbu. And we are not alone. We are proud members of Regenerative Travel, where we share knowledge and experiences with regenerative practitioners from around the world.