Welcome to the

NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM program

Your pathway to keep meeting experience demands & sustainability goals while moving into a Regenerative era

Why NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM?

The tourism industry is at a turning point. Travelers are increasingly seeking authentic, transformative experiences, while destinations and businesses must navigate sustainability demands and regenerative opportunities to keep track with both human and planetary needs in the industry.

Tourism businesses need to adapt to the rise of regenerative travel trends. And travelers are seeking more than just sights, wanting meaningful, emotional, and transformative experiences and low or no cost to the environment.

With 25 years of experience in the global destinations that first saw this need arise, we have formed consultancy and programs to harness this evolution and are now on a mission to spread awareness of the crucial relationship between humans and nature and its tremendous value for strategic future tourism planning and execution. This is all boiled down to what matters to our clients on national board or small scale business level; the NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM program providing a competitive edge by ensuring your organization a regenerative strategy enabling your guests to leave your destination with a deep, unforgettable connection to place, a transformed mindset and a readiness to act, while also complying with the environmental needs of your sphere.

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The NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM program

NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM offers a structured approach to designing, managing, and marketing tourism experiences that deepen the human-nature relationship while ensuring long-term ecological, cultural, and economic sustainability.

The program provides talks, workshops, and courses to help tourism businesses, destinations, and policymakers integrate research founded Nature Connectedness principles into their operations, creating meaningful, emotionally engaging, and regenerative tourism experiences.

The NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM program is specifically made for

Tourism boards & Destination management organizations
Tour operators & experience designers
Hospitality businesses & eco-lodges
Regenerative & sustainable tourism professionals
Nature-based wellness tourism providers
Nature-based & adventure tourism providers
National parks, Nature Reserves & conservation organizations

NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM Program modules

Beyond our here described foundational modules, always tailored specifically to your organization, we offer specialized in-depth training, workshops, talks and toolkits tailored to different roles and levels within the tourism industry. These workshops provide practical, immersive learning experiences for those who want to lead the needed shift towards nature connected tourism at different levels. See module descriptions below.

1. NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM

EXPERIENCE DESIGN

For: Tour operators, experience designers, eco-tourism businesses

What you’ll learn:

• Designing immersive nature experiences using evidence based pathways to Nature Connectedness

• Integrating multi-sensory storytelling, place-based learning, and embodied experience design

• Crafting slow, deep, and mindful travel itineraries

• Using cultural and ecological narratives to enrich tourism experiences

• Tools for measuring guest engagement & impact

Your organization will gain tools to create signature nature-based tourism experiences that deeply connect guests to nature while ensuring business growth and sustainability.

2. NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM

GUIDING

For: Tour guides, nature-based facilitators, experience hosts

What you’ll learn:

• The role of a guide as a threshold keeper between humans & nature

• Advanced interpretation techniques for emotional storytelling

• Guiding slow travel & sensory immersion experiences

• Facilitating group dynamics & guest engagement for deeper connection

• Culturally & ecologically responsible guiding techniques

Post module you are able to develop a transformational guiding approach that moves beyond facts and information to fostering deep personal connections with nature.

3. NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM

MANAGEMENT

For: Tourism business owners, lodge/hotel managers, DMO leaders

What you’ll learn:

• Aligning business strategy with Nature Connectedness principles

• Redesigning hospitality services for
deeper guest engagement

• Operationalizing sustainability
& regenerative principles in tourism businesses

• Branding & marketing for Nature
Connected Tourism

• Creating transformative long-term
business value through regenerative tourism models

You’ll walk away from the module with the ability to develop a Nature Connected Tourism
business strategy that attracts conscious travelers while ensuring long-term
profitability and ecological sustainability.

4. NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM

DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT

For: DMOs, national parks, eco-tourism destinations, municipalities

What you’ll learn:

• Integrating Nature Connectedness into destination planning

• Balancing visitor engagement with conservation efforts

• Developing regenerative visitor strategies that benefit local communities & ecosystems

• Marketing a destination through transformative travel experiences

• Creating tourism policies that support Nature Connected Tourism

As an outcome, you will be able to seamlessly craft a destination strategy that enhances visitor experiences while supporting ecosystems, local communities, and cultural heritage.

5. NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM

NATIONAL STRATEGY

For: National tourism boards, policymakers, sustainability leaders

What you’ll learn:

• Embedding Nature Connected Tourism into national tourism policies

• Aligning tourism development with regenerative principles

• Leveraging research & data to inform decision-making

• Positioning a country as a global leader in Nature Connected Tourism

• Public-private partnerships for systemic tourism transformation

Post module your organization know exactly how to develop a national-level tourism strategy that positions nature, well-being, and regeneration at the core of tourism policy and promotion.

6. NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM

IMPACT & INNOVATION

For: High-level tourism consultants, sustainability officers, innovation leaders, research institutions

What you’ll learn:

• Measuring the social, ecological, and economic impact of Nature Connected Tourism

• Leveraging cutting-edge research to enhance tourism innovation

• Applying systems thinking to create scalable, regenerative tourism models

• Developing data-driven narratives to influence industry transformation

• Funding and investment opportunities for Nature Connected Tourism initiatives

By the end of this module, you will be equipped to lead innovative, evidence-based tourism initiatives that drive industry-wide transformation, ensuring long-term resilience and impact and the ability to lead the charge in regenerative travel.

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Meet Program Founder, Tanya Uhnger Wünsche

The NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM program is run by the CENTER FOR NATURE CONNECTEDNESS, a part of the NEED FOR NATURE GROUP founded by Tanya Uhnger Wünsche, Nature Connectedness Advisor, Researcher & Facilitator with 25 years of experience in the (Arctic) nature-based tourism industry.

Tanya functions internationally as an advisor and researcher for national tourism boards, foundations and investors, tourism organizations, and academic-level tourism education. Tanya's tourism management expertise spans widely, yet her special interest lies within the nature-based wellness and adventure tourism sphere, ultimately aiming at making tourism regenerative.

How working with us feels

Nordic Eco Adventures

Sustainable Tour Operator

"This program transformed how we design experiences. Guests now connect more deeply with nature, leading to a 30% rise in repeat bookings."

Lars Hovland

CEO, Nordic Eco-Adventures

Norway

Patagonia Lodge

Eco-Lodge & Hospitality

"Redesigning our guest experience around deep nature immersion increased satisfaction, longer stays, and stronger word-of-mouth."

Gabriela Torres

GM, Patagonia Lodge

Chile

University of Marrakesh

Tourism & Sustainability

"Tanya’s Nature Connectedness framework has influenced how we teach and design
regenerative tourism in Northern Africa."

Dr. Amina El Mansouri

Professor of Sustainable Tourism, University of
Marrakesh

Morocco

Visit North Seeland

Destination Management Organization (DMO)

"The Nightscape Program we developed lead by Tanya has become a signature experience to our area, deepening visitor engagement with nature at night."

Annette Sørensen

Managing Director, Visit Nordsjælland

Denmark

Wild Roots Expeditions

Wilderness Tour Operator

"Our tours evolved from adventure-based to truly transformational. Guests leave changed, and we’ve gained a strong market advantage."

James Calloway

Founder, Wild Roots Expeditions

Canada

The Mindful Traveler Retreats

Wellness & Eco-Tourism

"By integrating Nature Connectedness, we’ve elevated guest satisfaction and retention, making our retreats truly life-changing."

Ayu Setiawan

Co-Founder, The Mindful Traveller Retreats

Bali

Icelandic Highlands Conservation Initiative – NGO & Tourism

"Tanya’s insights helped us craft a visitor strategy that protects our landscapes while enhancing the visitor experience."

Ólafur Bjarnason

Project Lead, Icelandic Highlands Conservation Initiative

Iceland

Greenland Travel Arctic Tour Operator

"Working with Tanya for two decades, she has been with us through multiple rebrandings, positioning us as leaders in immersive Arctic travel."

Peter Bastrup

Managing Director, Greenland Travel

Denmark/Greenland

Ready to bring NATURE CONNECTED TOURISM to your tourism organization or destination?

We offer research founded programs, customized workshops, consulting, and strategy development for tourism businesses, destinations, and policymakers.