Sustainability in Austria
Holidays with a Clean Conscience

Sustainable travellers care for nature, climate protection, and positive connections. Austria is a place where eco-friendly holidays come naturally.

In Austria, nature sets the tone: Forests and alpine pastures are carefully maintained, waters kept clean, landscapes protected, and biodiversity encouraged. Austria’s regions and hosts demonstrate how to think and act with future generations in mind. This sense of responsibility drives ongoing sustainable innovations, such as mobility concepts and the use of renewable energy sources.

It’s easy to immerse yourself in Austria’s pristine nature – whether in the mountains, on alpine pastures, by the water, or in the forest. The local people play a major role in preserving these natural treasures, taking their duty of care very seriously. All guests are invited to do the same.

What does "sustainable travel" mean?

If you combine personal well-being with environmental responsibility at home, it’s only natural to want to travel sustainably too. A green holiday means being inspired, enjoying beautiful experiences, and respecting nature, climate protection, and the local community:

  • Sustainable travellers treat unspoilt nature and well-tended landscapes with respect and care.

  • Sustainable travellers choose eco-certified accommodation and environmentally-friendly transport.

  • Sustainable travellers embrace mutual understanding and can rely on accessibility and inclusion.

Tips and information on sustainable travel

Focus on people

Fair play in Austria as a holiday destination

The key to fairness often lies in positive relationships. That’s why, in Austria, fair play is the rule for an inclusive society where everyone takes responsibility:

Who contributes to the fair play of socio-cultural sustainability?

  • The guests: Sustainable travellers minimise their carbon footprint and are mindful of others' well-being.

  • The hosts: They promote mutual understanding through accessibility and inclusion, while also ensuring fairness for their team.

  • The regions: With pristine landscapes, clean waters, renewable energy, and heritage conservation, they implement climate-friendly measures.

Tips and information on socio-cultural sustainability

Appreciating and Protecting Nature

Holidays for Future Generations

In Austria, nature takes the lead with protected landscapes, clean swimming lakes, and nature reserves. As a pioneer in organic farming, Austria tops the European ranking for organic farmland, with biodiversity playing a crucial role.

Many locals are deeply aware of their ecological treasures, which fuels their dedication: forests and alpine pastures are carefully maintained, waters kept clean, and natural areas protected. Preserving these habitats for people, animals, and plants is forward-thinking. How wonderful that, in Austria, personal well-being and responsibility come together so effortlessly.

Holidays in and with Austria's nature

Mobility and resource conservation

Sustainable winter holidays

Is sustainable winter tourism even possible? In Austria, the answer is yes! This is achieved both through the commitment of each individual guest and through extensive changes and developments across entire regions. Many alpine winter sports resorts are pioneering how skiing can coexist harmoniously with nature, caring for people, animals, and the environment – and thus for future generations. Numerous measures are already in place, from reducing CO₂ emissions through eco-friendly transport and renewable energy use to resource-efficient snowmaking.

FAQ

Sustainable holidays involve being inspired and enjoying beautiful experiences while being mindful of nature, climate protection, and positive interactions with locals. Whether you're enjoying a lake swim, a winter holiday, a restaurant visit, or a cultural outing, sustainable travel means minimising your CO₂ footprint and embracing sustainability from different perspectives:

  • Ecological: Austria offers pristine landscapes and clean waters. Sustainable travel means immersing yourself in these valuable natural areas with respect and consideration.

  • Economic: Austria uses renewable energy and has many climate-friendly initiatives. Sustainable travellers choose climate-neutral or climate-positive accommodation and eco-friendly transport in climate and energy model regions.

  • Social: Mutual understanding is promoted, and accessibility and inclusion are continually improved.

  • Emphasis on environmental, social, and cultural values

  • Focus on seasonal, regional, and organic food

  • Thoughtful energy concepts

  • Measures to conserve resources

  • Energy-efficient lighting

  • Water reuse systems

  • Engagement in local communities, culture, and traditions

  • Use of natural materials in furnishings and textiles

  • Bioclimatic building criteria (e.g., good insulation)

  • Improved CO₂ balance

  • Alignment of the needs of guests, locals, and nature

Achieving climate neutrality through compensation projects alone is no longer acceptable. The term "climate-neutral" can only be used if:

  • A complete emissions balance (Scope 1-3) is prepared according to the GHG Protocol.

  • A specific action plan for achieving neutrality is presented (including timelines and resource planning), covering avoidance, reduction, and compensation measures.

  • Certification is obtained from an independent, recognised body confirming climate neutrality.

  • All information is easily accessible to guests, i.e., transparently published.

Climate-positive refers to products, services, or projects that counteract the negative overall impact of global warming. This means a hotel, for example, offsets more CO₂ emissions than it generates itself. This overcompensation has a positive effect on the climate.

"Climate-friendly" is a general environmental statement and can be misleading without further details on actual measures implemented. What is considered climate-friendly can vary from guest to guest.

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