Roots Tourism (also known as Genealogical or Diaspora Tourism) is a subset of Heritage Tourism that involves international travel to the places ancestors or family came from, aiming to reconnect with cultural, genealogical, and emotional heritage. Roots Tourism is generally compatible with both Sustainable and Regenerative Tourism models as it also aims to balance economic, social, and environmental impacts while benefiting host communities. It can help combat Overtourism by decentralizing travel to rural regions and small villages, distributing benefits to small communities year-round, and directly helping preserve local tangible and intangible heritage, including family histories and traditions. Roots tourists have a vested interest in their ancestral homelands and are thus more likely to respect local limits and be interested in revitalizing communities, local craft and agriculture, and recovering infrastructure.
However, like all forms of tourism, Roots Tourism faces sustainability challenges. The main problem, due to the global distribution of the various Diasporas, is its dependence on long-haul, intercontinental travel which results in a high carbon footprint. Additionally, remote villages usually lack suitable public transport options, making automobile use necessary. To the extent that roots tourists actually stay longer in these destinations, the carbon footprint decreases. Another problem is the potential for cultural commodification and dilution of authenticity, as remote destinations are suddenly exposed to diaspora visitors and may inadvertently adapt living, authentic traditions. spaces. practices and events into staged, profit-driven performances to fit roots visitors' schedules. Host-Guest social conflicts may also arise from different cultural, political and economic backgrounds leading to miscommunication and misunderstandings. These issues could worsen if visitors decide to 'reclaim' what their ancestors once owned.
All of the above indicate that democratic governance, good planning with full local participation, and adequate training for local tourism providers and small and medium-sized tour operators serving roots tourists are of paramount importance. And this is where the EU Erasmus+ project "Foster Competencies on Roots Tourism in VET Schools to Promote Sustainable Tourism and Destinations in Europe" in which ECOCLUB is participating can make a real difference, by developing and promoting a suitable curriculum that provides the necessary skills. The project is in its initial stages and progressing smoothly, with project partners currently engaging with VET schools to gauge their interest and capacity regarding Roots Tourism.