Blue Zissou are opening Mozambique up to travellers who would like their travels to benefit the people and the natural environment in the places they visit. We make these immersive experiences available to the clients of small group travel companies as well as small expedition cruise ships and we provide them through the practice of Regenerative Travel.
What exactly is Regenerative travel?
Not so long ago, when we were confined to our homes by a global pandemic, travellers talked about “doing travel differently” and imagined new ways of traveling that didn’t just minimize the impact of our travels but actually benefited the people and places we visited.
Now, with most of the world open to travellers again, the emerging concept of “regenerative travel” promises to answer that call to action by offering a radically new, yet ancient, way for us all to travel better.
At its simplest, regenerative travel can be defined as leaving a destination better than we found it. Giving back more than we take by improving the natural places and communities we visit. Not a lighter footprint, but a firm footprint, one that can fertilize an area so it can regenerate and grow even stronger in the future.
According to regenerative tourism expert Anna Pollock regenerative travel involves a complete “paradigm shift” to a more holistic and nature-based way of seeing the world. Its not all about less, if anything its about more. “It’s just that ‘more’ is being defined differently,” she says. “It’s about generating more of the things that count: health, vitality, resilience, our capacity to care for one another, community.”
Regenerative travel in practice
Indigenous-owned and managed travel companies are often naturally regenerative with their attitude of respect for land and sea and a deep awareness of the interdependence of people and place.
Community-owned tours, stays and experiences are often inherently regenerative too. Its for this reason Blue Zissou have positioned the company as an umbrella organisation, providing material, strategic and marketing support to local initiatives so that they can emerge and thrive in a regenerative economy.
How becoming a Regenerative traveller can be a transformative experience for clients
Being a regenerative traveller essentially means learning to see our home, planet Earth, our relationship with it and with each other through fresh eyes. Blue Zissou invites travellers to think how nature thinks and act accordingly to develop their “eco-literacy” by spending more time in nature, observing and listening. Regenerative travel also provides the chance to build relationships with local people; a deep engagement that prepares travellers to see the world from another perspective, to understand the challenges faced and even to become part of a solution.
How Blue Zissou can provide your clients with a truly transformative experience
Blue Zissou is a business immersed in a network that we helped to create. An ecosystem of producers, artists, conservationists and micro business operators that work together to bring benefit to the people and the natural environment in the places where they live.
The money clients pay for a product or service goes directly into the community providing immediate economic benefit and contributing to long-term sustainability. But, because this is a regenerative exercise the benefits go much deeper than that.
Taking an interest in local people, listening and asking questions in a respectful, informal, small group space creates ideal conditions for two-way learning. Travellers gain rare insight into the lives of others and locals have their world view enlarged. All this sharing of stories, ideas, achievements and concerns can be both validating and motivating: it helps build capacity, confidence, greater resilience and community pride. From this ‘work’ local solutions can be imagined, explored and implemented.
On Ilha de Mozambique Blue Zissou initiates and supports the following activities and enterprises. Most of which are 100% locally owned and operated. Clients can expect unique opportunities for meaningful formal and informal interaction:
Ilha Blue, the provider of all logistics for small group and expedition client’s activities
Axinene women's enterprise creating unique hand-made textiles for purchase
Cafe Azelejo food, drinks and venue services
Independent dhow boat owners and sailors
Freelance local tour guides
Emerging women’s guide group
Orempelela snorkelling enterprise
Informal catering service (cooks providing meals to tourism workers)
Casual guards and additional workers
Blue Zissou is also expanding into two new locations.
Bazaruto Archipelago Marine Park where we are working alongside the Park administration to increase the number of local owned and operated cultural, natural and creative experiences available to groups and small expedition ships. Clients can experience conservation in action and learn what it means to live within a protected area.
Maputo, the national capital, where we have partnered with fringe community dance groups, musicians and select small venues to offer an unforgettable night in the city. Travellers can contribute to the revival of the Marrabenta scene by providing enthusiasm and an economic boost for struggling performers. A memorable experience in one of Africa’s most vibrant cities - flexible and wild, yet totally safe.
This piece drew heavily on an article contributed to World Nomads by Louise Southerden, Tue, 28 Jun 2022. That article can be viewed Here
