Prepared for what lies ahead in tourism
Stay up-to-date with current, independent statistics and information on tourism in the Alpine region.
F.acT: When did you start proactively tackling the issue of sustainability at ASI and what motivated you to do so?
Ambros Gasser: ASI Reisen, the Alpine School Innsbruck, was founded in 1963 by Prof. Hannes Gasser with a sustainable basic idea. His aim was: "To gently open people's eyes and hearts and to spark their enthusiasm for the many wonders of nature".
Nowadays, this is more relevant than ever. An intact natural environment and the positive attitude of the local population towards tourism activities are the raison d'être of our company. At ASI Reisen, we strategically integrated sustainability into the company in 2018, with the mission of developing sustainable experiences for travelers and local communities.
Ermittlung Ökologischer Fußabdruck, © ASI Reisen
Transparency is an important aspect of ASI's sustainability strategy. CO2 emissions and the price composition are calculated and presented transparently for every ASI Original trip. This serves as a basis for measuring improvement strategies and for informing and sensitizing guests. The CO2 emissions are calculated for travel, transportation in the destination, accommodation and activities using a CO2 calculator for the tourism industry. The price composition shows the costs and taxes incurred by a trip, as well as the added value and the company's own margin.
F.acT: What are the biggest challenges in implementation?
Ambros Gasser: Many players are involved in tourism. We work very closely with our stakeholders and exchange information on various topics at regular intervals. The will to change is always very strong, but it is often infrastructural hurdles that slow down improvement processes. A concrete example would be the topic of waste or transportation. Here, the infrastructure of the respective country or region is the basis for sustainable, resource-conserving solutions.
F.acT: Let's take a look into the year 2030. How will a classic ASI trip then differ from today?
Ambros Gasser: We will see change above all in processing, information exchange and networking. For ASI Reisen, sustainable experiences also mean picking up guests in all phases of the trip; in the booking process, before the start of the trip, during the trip and after the trip. Platforms that enable this networking and exchange of information will play a greater role. Furthermore, we expect a shift in travel modalities, especially in Europe, where we are focusing on increased public travel and the associated opportunities to enable route information and bookability across countries.
In 2020, ASI was nominated for the TRIGOS Tirol in the "Exemplary Projects" category.