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Swisstainable

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11 tips for responsible tourism in Switzerland

3 days of sustainable travel in Switzerland – 13 short-trip recommendations

17 sustainable development goals

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Kathrin: Hello everybody and welcome to another episode of Living in Switzerland. The series is brought to you by Rigby. We are a staffing and project services company based in Zurich. If you or anyone you know of is looking for a new role in Switzerland, or if you're looking to hire, let us know. We'd be happy to help. The best way to do that is by going to rigby.ch/apply and filling out the form. Then, if we have anything that might be of interest, we'll gladly let you know.

Today, we are joined by Lisa Arnet from the Swiss Tourism Federation. The 30-year-old project manager is responsible for the Swisstainable office. Together with her colleagues at the Competence centre for sustainability (KONA), she works for a more sustainable tourism in Switzerland.

Born and raised in Switzerland, she loves discovering her own country, the different landscapes and cultures, preferably by train. Lisa, welcome to the show.

Lisa: Thank you very much.

Kathrin: Right. So, let's start by talking just a little bit about Swisstainable. So, can you tell us a bit about what it is?

Lisa: Yes, sure. So Swisstainable actually is a programme that has been developed three years ago by Switzerland Tourism together with the University of Applied Sciences of Lucerne.

And it is indeed an instrument or in other terms, a programme for tourism service providers in Switzerland to develop their sustainable measures and to become more sustainable in all three dimensions, so to speak, economic, ecologic and social sustainability.

Kathrin: Amazing. That sounds great. And so how did it develop?

Lisa: So, the programme has been developed from tourism for tourism, which means that there have been different service providers that were included in the development of the programme.

And Switzerland Tourism started to launch the programme in 2021. And it has come to market with just a few service providers, then more and more businesses joined. And nowadays we have almost 2000 companies that are working in the tourism industry in Switzerland, that joined Swisstainable and that also have the aim to provide a certain orientation for guests that are looking for sustainable offers in Switzerland.

Kathrin: Right. Yeah, it's definitely getting more popular because I found it just by browsing online and I just came upon it. So yeah, it's reaching lots of people. If I understand correctly, it's not a certification though, is it?

Lisa: Yes, that's true. It's actually a programme. So, we cannot say that we certify businesses to become Swisstainable, but they can be within the programme with certain certifications that they already have. Because Swisstainable is actually a programme that is based on three different levels, which means that on level two and level three, it bases on already existing sustainability certifications, labels, credentials, which means that businesses that have already existing certifications in sustainability, they can also use them in order to be classified on a higher level with Swisstainable.

Kathrin: Right. So, if they want to be level two or three, they have to have sort of, external certifications.

Lisa: Yes, right. Because with these external certifications, we make sure that there is also an external audit going on, that they have frequent controls going on within their businesses so that there are certain standards that have to be met in order to be Swisstainable level two or level three in the end.

Kathrin: Okay, so there's that level of control, but just from other certifications.

Lisa: Exactly.

Kathrin: And what are the main goals of Swisstainable?

Lisa: So, I'd say that the focus is on the sustainable development of Switzerland as a tourist destination. And the Swisstainable programme also aims to make the tourism sector's commitment more visible in terms of sustainability and also to support tourism service providers in their efforts to achieve comprehensive sustainable development in Swiss tourism because I think that there is a lot of criteria already given for Switzerland that are sustainable and also a lot of service providers, they do quite a lot in terms of all these three sustainability dimensions and with Swisstainable, we have an instrument to show what the service providers are actually already doing, what are the different services that are sustainable in Switzerland.

And we from the Swiss Tourism Federation, we help these service providers in becoming Swisstainable, in joining the programme, and also when it comes to developing their business in a sustainable way.

Kathrin: Right, so highlighting existing measures and, sort of, promoting new ones as well.

Lisa: Yes, exactly. And also helping to develop in a sustainable way.

Kathrin: Yes. And just maybe for listeners who are a little bit less familiar with this, what does sustainability actually mean and what sort of, dimensions are part of it?

Lisa: So, sustainable travelling does not necessarily mean doing without. Sustainable travelling means more awareness, more enjoyment, more depth as well.

And Switzerland, as a holiday destination, is therefore pursuing a sustainability strategy that is typical of Switzerland, which is called Swisstainable. And Swisstainable is a word made of two words, Switzerland and sustainability. So, Swisstainable.

And it’s important also to understand that the sustainable development or sustainability is made up of three dimensions. So, the ecology, economy, and the social dimensions and all three dimensions, they are interrelated and cannot be looked at individually. So, they go hand in hand.

And I'd also say that there is the possibility of enjoying nature up close and also unspoiled, and experience also authentic local culture, consume regionally, and also stay longer and immerse yourself deeper in the experience.

Kathrin: Hmm, that's an interesting one. So instead of, sort of, trying to visit everything, you would encourage people to stay in one place longer?

Lisa: Probably, yes. Because like this, you have a more authentic experience. You can really dive deeper, get to know the place, the culture, the local food as well. And I'd also recommend to stay a bit longer in one place to really feel the vibe.

Kathrin: Yeah, I think that's a great tip.

So, ecology, I think is clear. It's more the environmental side of things, right? But what about economy and social? What kind of measures might there be in those areas?

Lisa: So, in a social dimension, I'd say that there are a lot of topics such as employee satisfaction, good working conditions, and so on that can be improved by sustainability measures.

And there are also a lot of initiatives going on when it comes to accessibility and tourism, which is also in the social dimension. So, the Swisstainable service providers are also working in this dimension of sustainability in order to make tourism more accessible for everyone.

And in the economical dimension, I'd say that it is influenced by everything. When you improve your economic dimension, when you reduce certain emissions you have in the end, you will have a better impact on your economic dimension in the end.

Kathrin: Yeah, so they're all interrelated?

Lisa: Exactly. And also, there are different regulations and framework conditions that affect tourism and the sustainable tourism development. So, politics, they play an important role when it comes to the sustainable development. And maybe you have heard of the 17 sustainable development goals, which also influence in a way the different service providers and also Swisstainable in the end.

And what we also look at is the federal tourism strategy of Switzerland, which also influences the sustainable development. So, service providers nowadays, they have certain criteria that has to be met and with Swisstainable, they have in a way, an instrument to meet these different sustainability criteria in the three dimensions.

Kathrin: Okay. And when you speak about service providers, so what types of businesses can be classified?

Lisa: Oh, there are a lot of different businesses that can be classified because tourism is a quite broad industry. There are for sure hotels or different accommodation services that can be classified with Swisstainable. Then all the gastronomy offers, restaurants, which are part of Swisstainable. Then the whole transportation sector.

These are the mountain railways, the public transport offers, which are part of Swisstainable, as well as a lot of different leisure activities. So, it's quite broad. The programme is really targeted to all the different service providers that offer in a way a touristic service in Switzerland.

Kathrin: Right. So yeah, that's why there are so many businesses because there's so many different, sort of, industries, right?

Lisa: Exactly. That's true, yes.

Kathrin: So, let's start maybe by talking a bit about accommodations. What are maybe some examples of sustainable practices in accommodation?

Lisa: So, in accommodation, I'd say that there is a lot of infrastructure measures that can be done in order to improve the different emissions a hotel or an apartment has. These are measures we see quite often that they change the lighting or they, in a way, dim the lighting in the, in the facility so that not all day long the light is bright, so these are small measures, but have an impact indeed.

Then also in the accommodation sector, there are a lot of social measures that can be done in terms of employee satisfaction - change the working hours for employees so that the job is more attractive in the end.

Kathrin: All right, yes. And I would assume both accommodation and gastronomy, there's a lot of effort to reduce some waste?

Lisa: Exactly, yeah. Especially in the gastronomy sector. There is a lot going on when it comes to reduction of food waste. And there are many businesses actually in Switzerland that aim to reduce the food waste, have a lot of different measures going on. And I think that we are on the right track and also that it needs everyone, actually. It needs the consumers, but also the service providers in order to reach the goals in the end.

Kathrin: Yeah, that's right. It was very interesting, a few months ago, I spoke to two people who wrote books about regional foods in Switzerland, and they both emphasise that there's such a big focus on regional products and also, sort of, using the whole animal or using all of the food available. So yeah, that's interesting.

Lisa: Mhm, that's true, yeah. And I think that in Switzerland we have such a broad variety of different foods that it's quite interesting to also eat locally, eat regionally, and discover the different food offers that there are.

Kathrin: Yeah. Every Canton has a completely different cuisine.

Lisa: Yes, that’s right. Yeah.

Kathrin: So, that's really interesting.

And then what about the transport sector? What can be done there?

Lisa: So, there is a lot of energy reduction going on in the transport sector. They change to hydropower, so they reduce their carbon emissions with these measures.

And in the transport sector, I'd say that especially when it comes to trains in Switzerland, they are already quite far because they have... I'm not sure about the exact figure, but I think that almost 90 percent is by hydropower when it comes to trains in Switzerland, which is quite good and which is also very good when it comes to saving energy.

Kathrin: So maybe just for people who don't live in Switzerland, the trains are all electric, aren't they?

Lisa: Yes, exactly, almost, and the train system is very, very good. So you, you reach a lot of different places by public transport. So, if you want to discover Switzerland easily, it's a nice way to travel by train and public transport because like this, you can relax, you can look out the window and see the landscape and really enjoy your trip while travelling and going from A to B by train or other public transport offers.

Kathrin: Yeah, exactly. There's not really much need to rent a car in a lot of places in Switzerland, right?

Lisa: Yes, that's true. I myself travel by train every day and it's very convenient. I can also work in the train or just listen to a podcast or whatever. It's a very nice way to travel in Switzerland.

Kathrin: Yeah. And they're clean and they're on time. So, it just works.

Lisa: Yeah, that's true.

Kathrin: Good.

And the last one is leisure activities. That's quite a broad category, isn't it? But maybe you can briefly talk about it?

Lisa: It is. For leisure categories, what we see quite often is that they do measures in a social dimension. So, when it comes to accessibility and tourism, that they make visible their accessibility. So, for people who are in need of knowing, how can they travel within a destination or at a certain service, that they know in advance how they can reach their goal or their destination. This is also for families quite important if they travel with a stroller, it's easy to know how they can travel from A to B and if it is accessible in the end.

Kathrin: Yeah, exactly. Really helpful for everyone.

All right. So, let's move on and talk a little bit about the businesses and how they become classified. So maybe you can explain a little bit more about those three different levels?

Lisa: Yes, sure.

So, in order to become a Swisstainable service provider and also to be able to use this green Swisstainable label, a business first of all needs to register at the Swisstainable office. So, the Swisstainable office is managed by the Swiss Tourism Federation where I am working at, and afterwards, every service provider needs to hand in certain documents which are validated by us.

So, since Swisstainable is a programme, as already mentioned, and not a new certification, it bases on level II – engaged and level III – leading on existing sustainability certificates. And businesses also need to fill in a sustainability check, which shows the current sustainability state at their facility, what they have been doing in the past in terms of sustainable development.

And then they need to define three measures which they would like to pursue in the coming two years. So, this is future oriented. And these measures, they can be individually defined by every business and they need to be new or not yet completely terminated projects, but they are very different, very individual for every business and only when these requirements are fulfilled, a business is able to be classified in one of the Swisstainable levels and also is able to use this Swisstainable label, the green dot.

Kathrin: Okay. And then you check-in with businesses regularly?

Lisa: Yes, we do. So there are every two years check-ins with the Swisstainable businesses in order to see what is the state of the measures that have been defied two years ago and where are they standing right now in their sustainable development.

So, after two years in the programme, they develop new measures for the coming two years. So, we have a frequent exchange with these businesses. And what we also have is this so-called Swisstainable community. So, businesses can, in a way, profit from the knowledge of other businesses that are part of this Swisstainable community.

They can exchange good practice examples, they already have the knowledge they have the insights, so they share some interesting projects and measures. And I think that's very nice because in terms of sustainable development, we are not on our own, but we work all for a common goal and it's important also to share the knowledge and to profit from the experience one made, and to also implement certain measures others already do. So, I think that it's quite a nice development going on right now.

Kathrin: Yeah, absolutely. It'd be so helpful to have that support from each other.

And aside from businesses, I think also cities can become Swisstainable, right? So, the way I found out about this programme is I initially read some article that Lucerne had just become a certified, or classified, sustainable city. And I think there are also some others, maybe like Basel and Zug. Is that right?

Lisa: Yes, that's correct.

Because Swisstainable initially has been developed for businesses and then last year it has been enlarged. The programme has been developed also for whole destinations. And there is a very important instrument within Swisstainable destination, because there has to be a certain number of businesses that take part in the Swisstainable programme in order for a destination to become Swisstainable as a whole.

So, as you mentioned correctly, the city of Lucerne has been classified as a Swisstainable destination, as well as Basel, Zug, Surselva, and also, Tourismus Engadin Scuol Samnaun Val Müstair. These are destinations in the Grisons region.

And what is very important and interesting to see there is that these service providers, as mentioned before, have in a way a certain community in the city. They exchange the different experiences they have. They want to develop their destination in a sustainable way and they really work together in order to become more sustainable as a whole destination.

Kathrin: Right. And then it sort of develops into a virtuous circle and they keep helping each other.

And is that the main part of Swisstainable in a city, or is there anything else that these cities do differently?

Lisa: So, what is also important there is that different stakeholders or different partners are involved. So usually also politics play a role when it comes to Swisstainable destinations, because it's a quite holistic approach and a lot of different partners are involved. So, the businesses, the destination marketing organisation, or the tourist office, then the political side.

Kathrin: Okay, right.

Let's talk now a little bit about people who are visiting Switzerland. Let's start with the journey. So how about getting to Switzerland? Are there any ways of making a journey more sustainable, especially maybe if someone comes from nearby Europe?

Lisa: Yes, sure. So nowadays, there are quite some sustainable options to come to Switzerland.

There are a lot of train connections to Switzerland, and especially if you are travelling within Switzerland, travelling by public transport is a very handy and easy way to get around, and there are so many connections such as good accessibility of different places in Switzerland. And also, the best thing is, as I already said, you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.

So, when watching out the train window and seeing the different landscapes of Switzerland pass by, so I would really recommend to travel within Switzerland by train. And if you can also come to Switzerland by train, because I think there are more and more offers also to come to Switzerland by train or public transport.

And yeah, I like the way of travelling by train. It's an easy way to visit the place.

Kathrin: Yeah, exactly, me too. So, this summer I'm travelling from London to Switzerland by train with a few stopovers in France. And so I think that'll be quite enjoyable because you actually get to enjoy your trip. You get to see loads of different views along the way. So, I think it'll be nice.

Lisa: Very nice, yeah, I did the same, but the other way around. So, for me it was, it was quite a nice journey and you can also have lunch in the train or just, yeah, enjoy the ride.

Kathrin: Exactly. And then sometimes you have a stop for a few hours in a different city that you might never otherwise see.

Lisa: Yes, that's true. That's a nice way to travel.

Kathrin: And then once people are inside Switzerland, or maybe also someone who's already living in Switzerland and wants to explore the area. So, what are some concrete tips that you have for people travelling around Switzerland to make their journey and their experience more sustainable?

Lisa: So, Switzerland Tourism offers a variety of different Swisstainable offers on their website. So, there are lists of service providers which are participating in the Swisstainable programme. And a lot of the businesses also talk about their sustainability measures on their websites and also about their Swisstainable participation.

So, if you travel around in Switzerland, I'd say that it is also a good option to first check out online if the business writes something about sustainability. Usually, they have a part on their website or they are mentioned by Switzerland Tourism as a sustainable service provider.

And furthermore, there is a campaign going on this summer with Switzerland Tourism and the Swiss Railway System, so SBB, and they offer Swisstainable packages as well.

So, there are Swisstainable hotels participating in this offer. And it's also including the transportation by train. So, this is also available on the campaign site of Switzerland Tourism. So, this is if you plan your trip in advance. But when you are travelling within Switzerland, what is also new and what is very nice is that every sustainable service provider that has been classified has a Swisstainable sticker.

So, if you see the green dot somewhere at the entrance of a hotel, or I saw it already on the entrance of a leisure activity, so you can be sure that's this service provider is part of the programme and you also see the sign, you can take a picture and maybe also put it online with the hashtag #Swisstainable and it's a nice way to discover the different Swisstainable offers in Switzerland.

Kathrin: Yeah. I'm definitely going to be looking out for it when I arrive next month.

Lisa: Yeah. Sure. You have to do this.

Kathrin: Yeah. And what about some other general sustainability tips?

Lisa: So, there is this Swiss travel pass which enables you to use public transport within Switzerland and I'd say that it's a very easy way to then travel around because you don't have to bother about the ticket because it is all included in the Swiss travel pass actually.

Maybe for certain mountain railways you have to pay extra but the Swiss travel pass indeed is a very nice option when it comes to travelling by public transport within Switzerland.

Kathrin: And also, people maybe who are already in Switzerland living here and just want to travel over the summer, or I'm also doing this, this summer you know, the General Abonnement, which is the same, but for locals. Which means that you can travel around the entire country with almost every mode of transport. They do a summer offer as well, where you can get a General Abonnement quite cheaply for a month and you can choose even your start date and everything. So, I think if you're staying really for a whole month, or even you live in Switzerland and just want to do some extra exploring in the summer, that's another good offer, isn't it?

Lisa: Right, yeah, I just heard about this summer offer yesterday and I think it's quite a nice way to discover Switzerland when you have one month's time, you can see quite a lot within Switzerland. I mean, you can travel one day to a destination and explore, or if you have a weekend, you can stay longer. So that's a very nice way to explore Switzerland, I'd say.

Kathrin: Yeah. And I mean, even if you're just like me using it for three weeks, it's definitely going to be worth it. If you travel a few times to Zurich and then back to Bern or Lausanne, you've already made the most of it, kind of.

Lisa: Yeah. Yeah, indeed. So that's a nice offer that the railway system has this summer.

Kathrin: Yeah, that's right. And most summers. It was there last summer as well, so I think it's a regular thing.

Lisa: I think so too. Yeah.

Kathrin: Yeah. Okay. And then any other tips?

Lisa: Yes, sure. So, Switzerland is quite expert when it comes to recycling and rubbish disposal. So, maybe you have already seen in the train stations the different bins with the plastic or paper or the general rubbish.

So, it's quite important for me as well, but I'd say generally for Swiss people to do recycling. So, if you are in Switzerland, I'd say that you can really use the different bins in order to dispose your rubbish correctly.

And as already mentioned, my tip really is to stay longer and to dive deeper to explore the local culture, to have an authentic experience in the end. And what I'd also recommend, what is very nice in Switzerland, is do outdoor activities like hiking, biking. It's in a way a slower method of travelling and you experience the landscape even more because you are right in it. You can see the different landscapes, you can smell, you can feel and I’d say that outdoor activities are quite fun and are a good way to experience the landscape and Switzerland in a very sustainable way.

Kathrin: Yeah, absolutely.

And for someone just visiting, are there any bikes to hire? Can you hire a bike in Switzerland?

Lisa: Yes, you can. I think there are several service providers that offer bike rentals.

If you are in a destination, I think you can just go to the tourist office. They will help you with the bike rental. They can show you where to go, or you can maybe also ask at the accommodation that you are staying, if there is an option to hire a bike.

What is also the case that in certain places, certain cities, there are these offers like PubliBike or Donkey Republic or how they are all called these service providers. Lime or, yeah, where you can rent the bikes as well. So, there are quite different options.

Kathrin: That's right. So, the bikes are just standing there, aren't they? And you can just go up to one and rent it directly.

Lisa: Exactly. Exactly. Maybe you have to download an app or just scan a QR code. It has different methods, but I think bikes are available almost everywhere.

Kathrin: Yeah, this is a similar system to the one in the UK. So, I think it's available in many countries, isn't it? So, people will be familiar with that.

Lisa: Exactly. Yeah.

Kathrin: All right. So, if some listeners would like to find out more about Swisstainable and... or maybe get in touch with you to ask some follow-up questions, how can they do this?

Lisa: So, I would recommend to go on the Swisstainable landing page of Switzerland Tourism and there you can find all the information about the Swisstainable programme and a list of the participating service providers.

And furthermore, you can stay very attentive when you travel within Switzerland because more and more participating businesses have a Swisstainable sticker on their facility that shows that they are part of the Swisstainable development in Switzerland.

And you can also go on Instagram or Facebook and there, search for the hashtag #Swisstainable because Switzerland Tourism has a lot of different stories and content with Swisstainable and you will be able to find it on Instagram or on Facebook if you look for the hashtag #Swisstainable.

And of course you can use it yourself, so you will be able to also spread the news and be part of this Swisstainable movement.

Kathrin: Yeah, absolutely. So, use the hashtag yourself as well.

Lisa: I'm looking forward to see the pictures of your travel experience in Switzerland.

Kathrin: Oh yeah, me too.

All right. So that's it for today. Thanks once again to our guest, Lisa, for joining us.

Lisa: Thank you, Kathrin, for having me. It was a pleasure. And if you have questions about sustainable travel in Switzerland, please do not hesitate to contact also Switzerland Tourism, and we are happy also at the Swiss Tourism Federation to help you when it comes to sustainable travel.

Kathrin: Perfect.

And thanks to you also for listening. We'll include links in the show notes to our guest and to further materials about some of the topics that we've spoken about today. If you enjoyed the episode, please leave a review on your favourite podcast platform.

Once again, this podcast was brought to you by Rigby. We're a staffing and project services company here in Zurich. If you would like our help either to hire or to be hired, let us know. Best way to do that is by going to rigby.ch/apply and filling out the form. You can also sign up for our newsletter at rigby.ch/newsletter to receive our Living in Switzerland guide. We'll send you one email per month about expat-focused news and jobs in Switzerland.

So, thanks, and until the next time!