inSPIRED by Switzerland Tourism
With a little over a week, until we gather in Lucerne for the next edition of inVOYAGE, we caught up with Letizia Elia, Head of Business Development and Member of the Management Board at Switzerland Tourism to learn more about their Swisstainable Programme.
In 2017 Switzerland was named as one of the top five countries achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and in 2020, they committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent by 2030.
We're so proud to be partnering with a destination that champions the importance of sustainability across the globe and ahead of the session they will be delivering to all of our event attendees, we wanted to introduce you to the programme and highlight some of their key visions and values.
Can you please tell us a little bit more about your vision as an organisation?
Our goal is to become the most sustainable travel destination in the world and to convey sustainability refreshingly, never to be seen as a restriction – but always as an enrichment. We are encouraging people to make the most of the breath-taking natural settings here in Switzerland and as part of the programme we are implementing, we're encouraging people to enjoy nature up close and first hand. Our vision is to support visitors to our country to experience the local culture authentically by consuming regional products and also inviting them to stay for longer and delve deeper into our rich culture.
Why is it called Swisstainable – what’s the rationale behind the programme name?
Sustainable travel doesn't necessarily mean having to go without. To us, it means having a greater awareness and depth of understanding concerning the impact that our actions have on the planet.
By fusing the terms "Swiss" and "sustainable", we are signalling an independent and, above all, Switzerland-specific sustainability strategy which we can communicate globally, as a destination. In our communications, we resolve the play on words in a clear and comprehensible manner with the claim "Excellence in Sustainability" and in doing so, we emphasise our pioneering role and our ambitious vision.
Who is the Swisstainable programme for?
Our sustainability programme has been designed from the industry for the industry. Visitors looking for sustainably driven offers are often lost in the vast landscape of labels. Swisstainable does not intend to be yet another certification, but rather to provide guidance for our guests. At the same time, we want to create a movement in which the entire industry can get involved.
Letizia Elia
Why is Swisstainable so important for Switzerland?
The Swiss Federal Council has committed to a climate-neutral Switzerland by 2050 and attached special significance to sustainability as part of the new tourism strategy.
According to a recent study conducted by Booking.com, one in two travellers would like to travel more sustainably, and 69% of those questioned, would like to see more sustainable travel options. These are significant figures, and we want to be one of the countries taking direct action to respond to these.
We are living in the age of sustainability, and the pandemic has increased our desire for authenticity, proximity to nature and considerate consumption. No other destination meets this need quite as Switzerland does. We have always taken care to strike a balance between the needs of our guests, the needs of the local population and the needs of the environment.
For this reason, and because consistent positioning within the sphere of sustainability is a perfect fit for Switzerland as a travel destination, this will be a key topic for our 2022–2024 strategy.
What are you most looking forward to at inVOYAGE in Lucerne?
Our country leads the way in many sustainability rankings across the globe, however, research suggests that guests have yet to fully catch on to the work that we are doing and the impact that it is having on our country. For example, a study that we recently conducted in the Benelux market showed that only 15% of those surveyed associate Switzerland with sustainability and this is something that we really want to change.
inVOYAGE will provide a brilliant opportunity for an expertly curated selection of leading luxury travel suppliers and buyers to come together and share business opportunities, learnings and contacts with one another. As the organisation leading the tourism strategy for Switzerland, we are looking forward to sharing more information about the work that we are doing as we genuinely believe that this will inspire event planners to take action.