The state government wants to steer tourism in Bavaria in the direction of “sustainability” – but without new regulations and without verifiability of the results. Holiday resorts and tourism companies alike should be able to use 20 criteria to orient themselves towards environmentally, climate and socially friendly standards, as explained by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Bayern Tourismus Marketing on Wednesday.
But in view of the great potential for controversy as to which type of business is “sustainable”, the initiators of the campaign forego certification from the outset, in which certain criteria would have to be met. “I think that would cause more controversy than benefit,” said Economics Minister Hubert Aiwanger (Free Voters). “What is more sustainable? Historical buildings that last a few hundred years or forests that are touched as little as possible?”
In any case, it is clear that tourism should serve the common good, it should not be based on short-term profit, and it should not be at the expense of the local population. This last point is particularly important to Aiwanger in view of the complaints at the edge of the Alps about Munich excursionists on beautiful weekends. “We have to shape tourism in such a way that it benefits the country as a whole,” said the Free Voters boss. “The locals must also benefit as much as possible from tourism. (…) It must not consume the homeland, it must strengthen the homeland.”
The Greens in the state parliament criticized the lack of commitment: “The Söder government must also follow up on words with deeds,” said MP Christian Zwanziger. “As long as the CSU and Free Voters prefer to spend tax money on snow guns instead of investing in sustainable mobility, such announcements are just hot air.”
The corona pandemic has hit the tourism industry in Bavaria very hard. The number of annual overnight stays fell from 100 million per year to almost 60 million. The prospects for this year are uncertain. The first half of the year went well, said Barbara Radomski, head of Bayern Tourismus Marketing. In May, the level before the corona pandemic was almost reached. But in view of the increasing number of infections, fewer bookings have been received for autumn than hoped. “The demand for the fall is not yet where we would like it to be,” said Radomski.