ReStart

The ReStart project, officially launched in January 2026, brings together a strong European consortium committed to redefining tourism’s role in economic and social development across North-West Europe (NWE).

Funded under the Interreg North-West Europe programme, ReStart will run for 3.5 years and aims to accelerate the shift towards sustainable and regenerative tourism practices that balance visitor economy growth with climate action, community well-being, and quality of life. 

Together, the nine partners represent a strong network of destinations, academic institutions, and policy organisations committed to driving systemic change in tourism across NWE. 

What is the ReStart project? 

Tourism -an economic driver in NWE- often overlooks its impact on local communities and the environment. ReStart supports the transition from unsustainable practices to regenerative tourism: an approach that creates a net positive impact on people and places. Its holistic, cross-sectoral approach moves beyond tackling isolated tourism-related issues to support systemic change.

Through transnational cooperation on regenerative tourism, knowledge from across North-West Europe is shared and consolidated, gaps are identified and addressed, and a practical Regenerative tourism implementation guide -the ReStart Compass- is developed tailored to the needs of local, regional, and national tourism and tourism related authorities in NWE. The Compass provides:

• A clear definition of regenerative tourism tailored to North-West Europe.
• Step-by-step guidance and tools for adapting and implementing regenerative approaches.
• Support for shifting from knowledge gathering to effective action, stimulating green transformation and societal change

How will ReStart deliver impact?

The ReStart Compass supports authorities on Balancing Tourism, Climate adaptation & mitigation, Community involvement & Quality of Life in three key areas:

1. Integrative regenerative tourism into policy.
2. Designing and implementing context-specific actions.
3. Supporting SMEs in adopting regenerative practices.

By testing and validating the ReStart Compass in 8 complementary pilot sites in BE, DE, FR, and NL, ReStart ensures its replicability, usability, and transferability. A Train-the-Trainer scheme, rolled-out across the five participating countries and involving 50 participants, alongside direct guidance of 4 tourism destinations, supports the uptake of the ReStart Compass, enabling the integration of regenerative tourism principles in participants’ regions and extending support and guidance beyond the end of the project.

How will ReStart have lasting effects?

ReStart, with the Compass, trained trainers & pilot site, enables authorities to shift from knowledge gathering to effective action, freeing up time and capacity for implementation. Regenerative tourism becomes an actionable alternative, unlocking its currently underused potential and enhancing the role of tourism in economic and social development of North-West Europe.

  Koblenz, Deutschland                    Leeuwarden, Nederland © Jacob van Essen          Duinpanne visitors' centre, Belgium © Provincie West-Vlaanderen