Swiss tourism to become more sustainable after the crisis
Switzerland Tourism has developed a new sustainability label called «Swisstainable.» It is designed to provide visitors with an overview of businesses that operate sustainably. The program is open to businesses that are already certified, as well as those that want to make their operations more sustainable in the future.
Switzerland always performs well in important rankings related to sustainability. "Nevertheless, many do not know it," writes Switzerland Tourism in a statement on Friday. For this reason, the association has developed a marketing concept with a signet for sustainable tourism in Switzerland together with various cooperation partners, including the Swiss Tourism Association (STV), Gastrosuisse, Hotelleriesuisse, Cable Cars Switzerland or the Association of Swiss Tourism Managers.
The aim of the campaign is to provide more guidance for consumers, it says. However, it is not a certification. Participating companies would be awarded three different labels depending on their commitment to sustainability. The first level, "Swisstainable Committed," is for businesses that do not have sustainability certifications but want to develop their operations further in the direction of sustainability. The second and third signets, "Swisstainable Engaged" and "Swisstainable Leading," are awarded to companies that are already certified in sustainability.
The criteria range from accessibility and environmental issues (energy, water, waste, CO2) to equal rights and equal pay in the company. A complete list of criteria can be downloaded from the Switzerland Tourism site.
Three-year plan
The concept was developed in collaboration with the Institute for Tourism and Mobility ITM at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts. In addition, the independent non-profit organization Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) provided content support.
It will be rolled out in Switzerland Tourism's 2021 summer campaign. For the time being, the organizers want to make the term Swisstainable, a combination of Swiss and sustainable, known to the general public in this country. Next year, they want to show good examples of sustainable change in the travel industry and publish a Swisstainable travel guide in 2023.
Associations such as the STV and Swiss Youth Hostels and Hotelleriesuisse are committed to the concept, according to their own announcements published on Friday. A positioning in terms of sustainability - and this does not just mean a reduction in food waste, but a corresponding orientation of the entire value-added and customer experience chain - will help to retain Swiss guests and attract additional guest groups after the crisis, according to Hotelleriesuisse.
However, the association emphasizes that economic health is the basic prerequisite for being able to invest in the sustainable development of the industry. And in this respect, the corona pandemic has left its mark, with sales in cities falling by 70 percent last year and by an average of 20 percent in alpine regions. (SDA)
