sustainability
Vacation resorts rely on environmental awareness
Norderney is a popular travel destination – large parts of the North Sea island are protected.
© Kleeschulte Photography / Shutterstock.com
When traveling, environmental awareness is becoming more and more important. Holidays in your home country can often be made sustainable.
Is “Soft Tourism” the Future of Travel? The term refers to the consideration for nature, the intensive experience of the environment and the adaptation to the culture of the travel destination. More and more Germans are therefore thinking about the sustainability of their trip when planning their vacation. Probably the easiest way to make your vacation sustainable is to vacation in your own country.
Vacation in Germany: Less stress and better for the environment
Vacation in Germany sounds daunting to many at first – the fear of boredom is great. The country impresses with its diverse holiday regions, from the mountains to the sea. A long journey is usually not necessary. This not only saves CO2 through unnecessary flights, but in most cases also reduces stress. After all, those who travel by bus or train do not have to worry about dropping their luggage and checking-in at the airport early.
Exciting holidays in Germany can also be planned without public transport. A multi-day bike tour, for example on the Baltic Sea coast or along the Rhine, is ideal for a sporty break. The Way of St. James serves as a gentler alternative. A section of the pilgrimage route starts in Hechingen in Baden-Württemberg and leads to Meßkirch. Body and soul come to rest on 74 kilometers in four stages.
“Sustainable travel destinations”: keep your eyes peeled when booking
If you still prefer to stay in one place, you should make sure when booking that the destination is committed to sustainable tourism. The Northern Black Forest was from Ministry of Rural Areas and Consumer Protection Certified as a “sustainable travel destination” in 2016. The Swabian Alb biosphere area won the 2016/17 Federal competition for sustainable tourism destinations.
The Wadden Sea has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2009. The area of around 11,500 square kilometers connects Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands and is of great importance due to its biodiversity. The region has more than 10,000 animal and plant species – the North Sea, the Baltic Sea and islands such as Sylt and Rügen are popular holiday and health resorts. The majority of the small and medium-sized companies located there attach great importance to a sustainable corporate policy.
Kurort Norderney: How a freight forwarding company wants to promote e-mobility
So does Georg Fischerwho runs a forwarding company in the fourth generation on the North Sea island of Norderney. There are 35 MAN vehicles in his fleet. The latest addition: three fully electric transporters. With the eTGE, Fischer wants to bring about change in his home country: “Norderney is a climatic health resort and medicinal bath. I wanted to be among the first to drive electrically.” For example, his employees use the electric vehicles to transport guests’ luggage from the ferry to the hotel.
In 2020, Norderney was the only German place to shelter the top 100 most sustainable destinations worldwide. The east of the island is hardly built on and is largely under nature protection. Guests can enjoy their vacation in the midst of salt marshes and small forests in the long term. Norderney’s environmentally friendly image is known throughout Germany. Forwarder Fischer is therefore certain: “If we lead by example here, it will radiate.”
But the next city vacation could now also be more sustainable. Start-ups like Beyond Bookings have set themselves the goal of promoting e-mobility in the hotel industry. The Frankfurt-based company brokers individual e-fleets to hotels – these can make the vehicles available to their guests. Four hotel chains and several small hotel establishments are there according to “Frankfurter Rundschau” already customers of the company.
Conclusion
If you want to go on holiday with a clear conscience, you have many options in Germany. The choice should fall on places that are committed to the sustainable development of local tourism. Of course, there are also travel destinations outside the country’s borders that are in harmony with the environment. However, it remains questionable whether this will compensate for the journey by plane. In the end, as is so often the case, the old adage applies: It’s best at home.