About

A social initiative advocating for a shift to regenerative tourism.

“Xóm” means neighborhood. XomTour was born in Đà Nẵng in 2021, as Vcil Community's regenerative tourism initiative, and works as a platform that connects travelers and businesses with local communities practicing responsible and conscious tourism.

Why we began

Tourism today

Every trip moves money, attention and power somewhere. Usually away from the people who live there.

Usually, local people and places have been left out of the story of tourism development.

Much of today's travel is built for leisure and consumption. What a visitor spends often leaves the place they came to see. Culture and place become things to sell, and the meeting between visitor and host becomes a transaction.

A broken way of traveling

Tourism, once a gateway to cultural exchange and natural appreciation, has lost its way. In many of the world's most popular destinations the industry generates significant economic benefits, yet beneath the surface lies a troubling reality: mass tourism has led to environmental degradation, cultural erosion and growing inequality, often at the expense of local communities and ecosystems.

Take Barcelona's historic city as an example. Once a vibrant local hub, areas like the Gothic Quarter and La Barceloneta are now overwhelmed by mass tourism. The city receives around 32 million visitors a year, nearly 20 times its local population, and residents are priced out as landlords favor short-term tourist rentals. Traditional businesses are disappearing, replaced by souvenir shops and global franchises; even the last bookshop in La Barceloneta closed, replaced by a cannabis shop.

The problem goes beyond economics and the environment. Mass tourism mostly benefits large corporations while sidelining locals: artisans, small shop owners and long-time residents are pushed out, with profits flowing to multinational hotel chains and tourism giants. Barcelona shows the urgent need for a more responsible way to travel, one that safeguards heritage, protects local livelihoods and shares the benefits of tourism fairly.

Tourism also puts immense pressure on the city's infrastructure. La Rambla, one of its main promenades, sees over 200,000 passersby a day, and its trash bins are emptied 14 times a day. Cruise ships, often docking for just a few hours, bring thousands of tourists at once, adding congestion, pollution and strain on local services. In response, the city raised its tourist tax from €3.25 to €4 per night, with plans to raise it further.

Source: The Guardian, August 19, 2024.

Mass tourism · Economic leakage · Commodification of culture and place · Transactional relationships

What we believe

Rethinking what tourism can be

Travel as activism, as learning, as support for local economy, ecology, culture and human connection.

We think it can move the other way. We believe that tourism could be a force for positive change, and that's why XomTour was born: to make tourism a form of activism, by choosing carefully who we work with, how we spend money, how decisions are made and how we create a network of regenerative tourism.

We want tourism to become a tool for sustainable development, protection and regeneration for local people and place. And we see travel as a way of learning, unlearning and relearning.

Our vision for regenerative tourism

XomTour was born to rewrite the story of travel, turning it into a force that heals rather than harms. At its heart, XomTour offers a new way of exploring the world: one that connects travelers to the soul of local communities and the land, while restoring the environment and empowering local economies.

Stories from the ground: how XomTour creates change

Social economy

By choosing services managed and run by local people or impactful enterprises, we direct money to the local economy and make sure income is shared fairly among everyone involved, rather than concentrated. Guides can be local farmers, fishers and artisans who keep their own livelihoods: tourism does not replace their work but supports it. Local people with an intimate relationship to the land hold traditional knowledge of managing its resources sustainably, and XomTour seeks to support the grandmothers, grandfathers and organic farmers doing what they do best: stewarding the land.

Environment

We consciously choose service providers that reduce waste and practice the circular economy, upcycling and eco-friendly materials.

Culture

XomTour encourages local people to share their own way of life with travelers: eating seasonal vegetables and traditional rustic meals, folklore and festivals, caring for the soil and the river. By helping them take pride in their traditions, XomTour supports the preservation of local culture.

Regenerative tourism · Travel as activism · Learning, unlearning, relearning

What we do about it

How we practice it

Four pillars carry equal weight in every program. Supporting the local economy means keeping money where the journey happens: with local guides, cooks, coordinators, and ethical, responsible and sustainable local communities, initiatives and enterprises. Mindful travel and responsible tourism are how we ask every traveler to move through a place.

Our holistic approach to tourism

XomTour connects the principles of regeneration and social entrepreneurship with tourism, so that travel benefits the visitors, the environment and the local communities we work with.

Community-engaged learning tourism

Immersive experiences where travelers engage directly with local people (farmers, artisans and small business owners), building deep relationships and mutual understanding.

Economic empowerment

We prioritize services run by local people and impactful enterprises. The revenue directly supports the community, shared fairly, and reduces reliance on outside tour operators.

Regenerative practices

Every activity is designed to restore and revitalize natural ecosystems, whether it is planting mangroves, reducing waste or learning traditional water management.

A new story of travel

Through XomTour, travelers don't just visit a destination; they become part of its story. XomTour isn't just about sightseeing: it is about reimagining the way we travel, building connections, fostering understanding and making every step count, for the land, the people and the planet.

Local economy · Mindful travel · Responsible tourism · Community-engaged learning

Economy

We intentionally use tourism as a tool to channel money to local people to support the local economy. We also choose ethical, sustainable or local businesses, organizations and communities in our programs, in order to support the beautiful work they are doing.

Ecology

Every time we set foot in a place, we already have some impact on it. We come and consume resources in that place. So we should be mindful and responsible during our trips. That's why mindful travel and responsible tourism are core practices we invite everyone to take part in.

Culture

Local people have lived with the land for generations, growing up with their ancestors' heritage and wisdom. They know, love and understand the place. No one is more suitable than them to tell stories about the place. And tourism should be a space for them to tell their stories, raise awareness and take action; not to make them dependent.

Trying a wooden rice pounder at a village house.

Human connection

At the end of the day, after you leave a place, you have more friends, a mom, a dad, a brother or a sister. That's the beautiful thing about traveling. We want to foster that spirit when organizing our programs. The most important thing is the connection with yourself: after the trips, what inspired you, what stays within you, what questions you have.

Travelers and hosts under a field shelter.

Who it is for

What we hope each one gains

Every step of a XomTour experience is intentional: designed not just to show a destination, but to create lasting impact that ripples far beyond the trip. Through XomTour, travel becomes a catalyst for positive change.