Circular Tourism: defining a new model based on Circular Economy, Social Innovation and Sustainable Tourism

The long-term impact of tourism on the local economy, environment, and culture emphasizes sustainable tourism as a universal goal for all tourism scales, aligning with both large and small-scale practices. This paper wants to provide a definition of “circular tourism” by combining the largely adopted definition of sustainable tourism, eco-tourism, community-based tourism with the concepts of circular economy and social innovation. On one hand, circular economy aims to reduce waste and maximise efficiency through the reuse, recycling and regeneration of materials. On the other hand, social innovation focuses on creative solutions to social and environmental challenges through collaboration between different actors. Sustainable tourism includes many of these principles. In addition, eco-tourism emphasises environmental conservation, ecological education and the involvement of local communities for a positive impact on the planet. More, community-based tourism focuses on empowering local communities by involving them in the development and management of tourism activities to foster social and economic sustainability. In the paper, it is highlighted the importance of active community involvement to promote circular tourism, as a catalyst for sustainable development and positive environmental impact. In addition, by emphasising sustainability, community involvement and innovation could inspire thoughtful and forward-looking approaches to tourism management and promotion. In the provided definition of “circular tourism” are included pillars like environmental sustainability, the promotion of active involvement of local communities, driving sustainable economic growth. This integrated approach promotes responsible and conscious tourism practices considering the interconnection between environment, economy and society.