Sustainability is key to travel’s future

Livio Goetz is Director Australia & New Zealand for Switzerland Tourism.

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TODAY, “sustainability” shouldn’t even be a trending buzzword or listed as a travel brand’s USP. It should already be deeply embedded into every tourism provider’s DNA. Not just in the environmentally friendly sense, but in the economic and social sense as well.

Sustainability is a way of life for us Swiss and for many travellers. This is why our team at Switzerland Tourism is constantly developing sustainable tourism products. While the focus isn’t always on inventing brand new experiences, it’s largely about “recycling” or breathing new life into existing products in different and innovative ways, all the while retaining the true essence of the experience.

As an industry and as tourism providers, it is our duty to be able to identify ways to refresh or even resuscitate classic/existing products and experiences to “avoid wastage”.

And Switzerland has no doubt taken the lead in sustainable living and tourism in many different ways. Front and centre where the environment is concerned, is our world-class public transportation system which is accessible with a single Swiss Travel Pass ticket (or e-ticket), a one-of a kind in this world.

Regular, well-coordinated and efficient, our expansive network of trains, buses and boats reach every corner of Switzerland, making it one of the greenest and most convenient ways to travel around the country.

When it comes to supporting local communities and smaller businesses, we have been promoting lesser known regions (especially via cycling and hiking routes in recent years) to encourage travellers to venture deeper into the crevices of Switzerland to get acquainted with the many long-standing traditional cultures that continue to thrive outside away from the more modernised cities and towns.

We have also breathed new life into old traditional farmhouses and alpine huts, giving them the new purpose of housing visitors who appreciate quiet stays in the mountains or countryside. Bookable online, this not only helps to bring some extra business to local farmers with their unused or partially used cabins, but also opens up different local experiences for the more adventurous travellers.

There are many more examples including car-free villages, the use of e-cars and e-bikes, and championing local produce where Switzerland leads the way in its sustainability efforts. And while we are very proud of our ongoing endeavours, there is still a lot of opportunities yet to be explored in the development of sustainable touristic products. This is a neverending journey for us in travel and tourism.

“This is a never-ending journey for us ”