Austria offers some wonderful destination experiences, and to encourage holidaymakers to go green many of the regions are continuing to reduce their carbon footprint.

With the consequences of climate change more apparent by the day, sustainability ranks high on the’ checklist of many travellers when choosing their travel destination.

Austria is home to an impressive 695 mountains greater than 3000m, eight official national parks, more than 25.000 lakes (97 percent with excellent water quality) and almost 48 percent of its land covered by forest. The country takes great pride in its natural treasures – and more and more holiday regions commit themselves to protecting them, introducing sustainability concepts, and encouraging guests to minimise their carbon footprint.

When it comes to green initiatives many resorts are using water or solar power to run everything from hotels to cable cars, restaurants, and spas, depending on the resort. E-biking and electric cars are also seeing an increase in popularity, with the infrastructure – from rentals to charging stations – mirroring the trend. And then there’s the Austrian foodie scene - while seasonal cooking has always been popular in Austria, more and more restaurants are using organic ingredients.

As a country, Austria is encouraging tourists to follow the Austrian way when it comes to sustainability. With a railway network covering more than 5,000 km and many mountain regions and cities like Innsbruck and Salzburg including free use of public transport in their guest cards, it is possible to enjoy a car-free summer break. Guests can also look forward to 11,000 km of hiking trails and the 380 km long Danube Cycle Path among other eco-friendly activities.

When it comes to being eco-friendly, Innsbruck is certainly a forward-thinking destination.

The Innsbruck Welcome Card includes free use of public transport in the city and region as well as cable cars up the mountains, allowing visitors to go exploring in an environmentally-friendly way.
At least 23% of Innsbruck’s population travel by bike instead of by car all year round. Guests are invited to follow their lead and make use of the 350 rental bikes at 44 different locations throughout the city.

In contrast to the general travel trend, visitors to Innsbruck tend to stay for a longer period instead of making several mini trips, which significantly reduces the travellers’ ecological footprints.

Be sure to brush up on your knowledge of Innsbruck and other Austrian cities with the OTT training course. You will then be equipped with everything you need to know to sell Austrian city breaks!