For Sustainable Summer Holidays, It Has To Be SalzburgerLand

With the climate emergency becoming all the more visible and the recent pandemic affecting countries across the globe, those of us who love and appreciate the great outdoors have realised how important our choices are when it comes to protecting it.

Whether it’s making small changes in our everyday lives, modifying our shopping habits or re-evaluating how we choose to travel, it’s clear that many people are striving to become more sustainable. Tourism is hugely important to the world’s economy, but it cannot be denied that the travel industry has not always kept up with sustainability.

However, for those that want to ensure they travel in the most responsible way, there are destinations that are striving to ensure their travel industries are as environmentally friendly as possible. One such area is SalzburgerLand, who are leading the way as a sustainable travel destination thanks to a number of initiatives and commitments carried out over recent years.

A destination that has a long history of tourism and places great emphasis on the importance of nature, SalzburgerLand has allowed its travel industry to develop slowly, in a forward thinking way. Active cooperation has been encouraged between tourism professionals, scientists, farmers, conservationists and local politicians, allowing SalzburgerLand to become a region in which environmentally friendly travel is not only possible, but encouraged.

Read on to find out more about how SalzburgerLand is leading the way in sustainable summer holidays, as well as the unique, environmentally-friendly activities you can enjoy there.

Switching Off in the Salzburg Lungau UNESCO Biosphere Reserve

The Salzburg Lungau is the largest designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in Austria, guaranteeing sustainable and environmentally friendly operations across the entire region.

As a result, the Lungau area is a fantastic model for sustainable tourism, guaranteeing an authentic experience for holidaymakers, far removed from the crowds and chaos of modern life!

Here, you can explore Europe’s largest continuous pine forest, before plunging into the crystal clear waters area’s numerous mountain lakes. You can rediscover that inner peace and relaxation that so many of us have lost in our daily routines, taking a true time out from the stresses you may be feeling.

In recent years, Lungau’s ‘BE.GENUINE’ Campaign has been promoting “holidays that ground you”. Indeed, the mountains and valleys of this picturesque region are as far removed as you can imagine from city life and provide an unparalleled opportunity to reconnect with the nature around us.

Whether it’s a digital detox at a remote, self-catering mountain hut or a relaxing retreat in an innovative wellness hotel, in the Lungau you can truly restore yourself.

What’s more, opportunities to ‘time out’ are not limited simply to your accommodation. In Lungau, activities such as wildlife watching, herb walks with donkeys, yoga workshops and bread baking courses offer the perfect opportunity to engage yourself with local customs and learn something new during your stay.

An Organic Pioneer

In recent years, SalzburgerLand has cemented its position as the ‘Delicatessen of Europe’, thanks to its small faming areas and the exceptional quality of its local produce.

Now, an impressive 60% of agricultural land in SalzburgerLand is farmed organically or certified biodynamic by Demeter.

The SalzburgerLand village of Seeham is in fact now certified as Austria’s first organic village, with 80% of its farmers operating organically. The village was awarded the Austrian Climate Protection prize in 2015 as a recognition of these efforts, making it a definite must-visit for climate conscious foodies in the area!

Alternatively, you can work through the 23 hotels, restaurants and farms listed in the BioParadies SalzburgerLand (SalzburgerLand’s Organic Paradise) guide, or visit the 29 show farms that showcase the best of the area’s organic offerings.

If there’s a better way to end a stunning day’s hiking than with some delicious local organic cuisine, we’re yet to find it!

The Cleaner Mountains Initiative

As part of an initiative to ensure SalzburgerLand’s mountains stay as pure in quality as possible, SalzburgerLand’s environment, air and ground are strictly regulated. Methods to protect nature, water and the climate are put into practice throughout the region, to encourage guests and residents alike to put their values into practice.

As a result, SalzburgerLand’s water is truly the purest you will find, with mountain streams, lakes and even taps fed crystal clear water by Alpine glaciers. The air is similarly clean, with around €2Million invested in achieving the finest air quality in Salzburg every year.

The Alpine Association’s ‘Cleaner Mountains’ campaign has been operating since 1970, ensuring plenty of opportunity for nature lovers to enjoy the mountains as they should be, without rubbish and trash spoiling these spectacular slopes.

Appreciating the Importance of Forests

One of Austria’s most popular travel regions, SalzburgerLand still offers the same friendly hospitality, stunning Alpine landscapes and lush natural forests as it did 100 years ago. Though the area’s mountain slopes now host some of the world’s best ski areas, the region as a whole has retained its Alpine charm and its focus on maintaining its natural life.

For example, over half of the region’s surface area remains covered in forests, such as the untouched woodland of the Hohe Tauern National Park. Not only do these forests provide a home to a rich animal and plant world, they also ensure incredible air and water quality and provide many active opportunities for visitors to truly drink in their benefits.

What’s more, SalzburgerLand has a number of state initiatives dedicated to the precious raw commodity of wood. “Holzcluster” (Wood Cluster) and “pro:Holz” (pro:Wood) are both based in the SalzburgerLand town of Kuchl, an area often hailed as Austria’s most wood-friendly community. Kuchl provides numerous study opportunities in the timber industry, uniting many study and timber organisations to ensure they are well placed to further develop their sustainable timber projects in the future.

Educating The Experts of Tomorrow

Never heard of a tourism school? Well, in SalzburgerLand, they’re a serious institution, with some of the best tourism schools in the world located here, educating a new generation in the methods and theories of gastronomy and hotel trades. These future experts will be key to ensuring SalzburgerLand’s position as a sustainable travel destination continues in years to come.

Fancy planning your sustainable summer holiday in SalzburgerLand? Find out more at salzburgerland.com