Meet sustainably in Switzerland

Aletsch, Eishoehle

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Intro

It is well known, that the Swiss are particularly sustainable: Consistent recycling, rigid exhaust emissions standards, good waste management, carefully controlled landscape planning and strict conditions for construction projects are just part of our every-day life. Below you will find more examples of our daily effort for a respected environment and a sustainable future.

no region, mountain, Swiss cross/flag
Yale’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI): ranking of 180 economies across 32 environmental health indicators.
Swiss sustainability in international comparison
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A new approach to travel

Sustainable travel doesn’t necessarily mean having to live without it completely. Sustainable travel means greater awareness and depth and more enjoyment. With this in mind, Switzerland follows its own sustainability strategy: Swisstainable.

Swisstainable is all about having one’s finger on the pulse – and maximum relaxation in a natural setting:   

  1. Enjoy nature up close and at first hand 
  2. Experience the local culture in an authentic way 
  3. Consume regional products 
  4. Stay for longer and delve deeper   

 

About Swisstainable

This sustainability programme is designed not as yet another certification process, but with the intention of providing guidance for you as guests and planners. At the same time, we want to create a movement in which the entire industry can get involved. More about the programme: Swisstainable

Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDS)

Switzerland Tourism and eight Swiss Destinations have entered a partnership with the GDS-movement. Their index evaluates and rates the social and environmental performance of a destination. This contributes to an improvement in performance and helps to create sustainable meeting destinations in the longer term.

About GDS and the Swiss partner destinations

The Global Destination Sustainability (GDS) Index wants to engage, inspire and enable destinations to become more sustainable places to visit, meet and thrive in. 69 indicators are used to evaluate a destination's sustainability performance. Every year in October, the Top 20 rankings are published.
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The sustainable way to meet in Switzerland

Sustainable commitment of our regions and destinations

Partners

Cleantech

Business Destination Switzerland

11 ways of travelling climate-friendly in Switzerland

Public transport

The Ricola Herb Gardens

Social program

Facts and figures



Switzerland assumes a pioneering role when it comes to sustainability – not only in terms of the landscape, but also in terms of its outstanding infrastructure.

  • Mobility

    Every day, 9,000 trains travel along the roughly 3,000-kilometre-long SBB network. Even small and remote locations can be reached by public transport. SBB sells around 3 million travelcards every year.

  • Water

    Switzerland invites guests to swim in the middle of its cities – a truly unique experience. Boasting some 1,500 lakes, Switzerland is seen as Europe’s moated bastion, and is home to the sources of many rivers, including the Rhine and the Rhône.

  • Nature conservation

    A total of 19 Swiss parks make up more than one eighth of the land area (5,269 km2). For the past 125 years, the Swiss Forest Act has also been ensuring that 30% of Switzerland remains forested – and this number is rising.

  • Air

    The air quality in Switzerland is excellent. We have always been appreciated as a climatic spa destination with beneficial therapeutic effects, and the health-promoting climate of Davos’ mountain air was discovered as far back as 1853.

  • Food

    Compared to our international counterparts, we consume the most organic products per capita. And Swiss retailers have been leading the international sustainability rankings for years.

  • Recycling

    Switzerland is one of the world’s leading countries when it comes to recycling and waste management, with almost 90% of PET bottles being put to new use.

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