Vorarlberg State Tourist Board has joined as a Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) member.

Vorarlberg State Tourist Board (Vorarlberg Tourismus GmbH) is a tourism organization for the State of Vorarlberg and the Vorarlberg Chamber of Commerce. Their purpose is to implement measures directly or indirectly suitable for promoting sustainable tourism in Vorarlberg. The company was incorporated in 2008 as a limited liability company. The predecessor was the “Landesverband Vorarlberg Tourismus”, which existed for 115 years.

Vorarlberg is the most western part of Austria, nestled between Lake Constance and the high peaks of the Alps, with its neighbors Germany, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The art of alpine skiing has been cultivated here since the beginning of the 20th century. Visitors can explore the mountainous area through various winter activities, including skiing, freeriding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. The diverse valley and mountain landscapes are also ideal for hiking and cycling trips in the summer. Family-run alpine huts, inns, guesthouses and restaurants are known for their culinary delights and down-to-earth atmosphere.

Sustainability in Vorarlberg

‘Raumbild Vorarlberg 2030’, Vorarlberg’s regional development action plan, focuses on preserving the region’s open spaces and landscape, while promoting the coordinated development of human settlements and mobility. The aim is to make Vorarlberg an innovative economic region with a high level of social and ecological responsibility. The comprehensive strategic vision for the holistic development of the living space is closely based on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Vorarlberg Tourismus has also been a member of the Climate Neutrality Alliance 2025 since 2018 with the aim of being climate neutral. What they are still missing at 100 percent, they compensate by supporting a « myclimate » climate protection project. Every year they decide on a new climate protection program. In 2021, the initiative was realigned under the name « turn to zero »: focus on reduction, expansion of the range of services through advice (including CO2 footprint calculation), strategic partnerships, network activities and supra-regional expansion of the initiative.

“It is important to us to engage with the entire spectrum of sustainability, to live and work according to the values of the SDGs, and to convey them authentically to our partners,” said Christian Schuetzinger, CEO of Vorarlberg State Tourist Board.

GSTC Welcomes Vorarlberg

“We applaud the efforts of Vorarlberg State Tourist Board to increase their focus on sustainable destination planning and management, and welcome them to the GSTC network,” said Randy Durband, GSTC CEO.

GSTC encourages destinations pursuing sustainability practices in tourism to join as GSTC members. Apply the GSTC Destination Criteria and support local businesses to apply the GSTC Industry Criteria. Destinations can eventually aim for achieving certification by a GSTC-Accredited Certification Body as a sustainable tourist destination.