The Tschögglberg with its communities of
Hafling, Vöran, Mölten and
Jenesien is geographically, geologically and scenically unique. This uniqueness must be protected. For this reason, we - the three tourism associations on the Tschögglberg high plateau (Hafling-Vöran-Meran 2000, Mölten and Jenesien) - have decided to make this a central part of our strategy.
Certifying the destination according to the criteria of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) is an important step in this direction. The GSTC Destination Criteria provide an internationally recognised framework for the development and management of tourism destinations. These standards help us measure our progress and identify opportunities for further development in a targeted way.
In order to make our endeavours measurable, the GSTC criteria are our guidelines and basic framework. The certification process includes external assessments and provides for an independent review of the implementation of the criteria. The following four major and comprehensive aspects play a central role in the implementation:
- Within
sustainable management, clear strategies and processes are developed to enable structured development across the different areas.
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Socioeconomic sustainability includes, among other things, the creation of jobs and fair working conditions, as well as support for local businesses and regional products.
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Cultural sustainability encompasses the protection and promotion of local culture, history and traditions without exploiting them.
- The criteria relating to
environmental sustainability include, for example, the responsible use of resources, comprehensive waste management and measures to address climate change, with the aim of reducing negative environmental impacts.
Implementation is reviewed on the basis of data, documents, measures and other evidence. This may include, for example, tourism and mobility data, energy and resource consumption data, information on regional value creation, surveys of residents and guests, as well as documented measures and projects.
The aim is to make the development of the region measurable and to continue developing it over the long term, taking into account the economic, ecological and social dimensions, as well as the
17 sustainability goals of the United Nations.
South Tyrol's tourism sector also relies on its own sustainability label, which is based on the GSTC criteria. The label offers various levels of certification.
In the four municipalities of Tschögglberg, we, the tourism associations, work together with the municipalities, local businesses and residents. This allows us to share experiences, learn from one another and jointly develop approaches for shaping working practices and tourism offerings. In this process, we are guided by the GSTC criteria and take environmental, social, cultural and economic aspects into account. At the same time, we want to strengthen regional value creation and make local products and offerings more visible. Tschögglberg is a place where people live and a recreational area for visitors. We take these different perspectives into account in our work and want to reflect on, further develop and jointly shape the future development of tourism.