Alpine Spaces
Tourism, destinations & mountain railways
In order to establish themselves successfully on the market in the future and to meet the challenges of sustainable destination development, a progressive development approach for alpine spaces is needed today.
Destinations, mountain railways and tourism organisations in the Alpine Space are facing fundamental challenges today:
- Heterogeneous structures
- Seasonal fluctuations
- Historical developments
- Synchronisation of strategy
- Lack of responsibilities
- Resources and know-how
Different actors have diverse roles, which are usually not or only partially coordinated with each other.
Pronounced seasonal fluctuations, both summer and winter, but also intra-seasonal. Structural challenges that cannot be addressed due to existing structures.
There is often a lack of a common, lived vision and a stringent strategy for implementation that is supported by all stakeholders. Or the marketing resources and know-how are lacking to be able to position themselves in today’s market.
The path to the destination of the future:
Destinations and enterprises must be vital and capable of learning and constantly practise the art of gradual evolution. That is, they constantly improve their products, but also their processes. However, one essential point is essential for the future success of a destination: political communities, mountain railways, the hotel industry and other service providers as well as the destination organisations say goodbye to individual thinking and acting and pursue a common, overriding goal:
Sharing a vision and implementing it together!
Tourism in Mountain Regions – 12 Theses for the Future
Declining demand, low capacity utilisation of mountain railways and the hotel industry, and the threat of destinations in neighbouring countries offering low prices. But also the growing popularity of long-distance and city trips as well as long-term challenges such as global warming and demographic change demand action from mountain tourism areas.
1. Cooperations: Without cooperations, tourism destinations in mountain areas are not able to survive
2. Price competitiveness: a level playing field increases price competitiveness.
3. Offer design: a year-round offer ensures added value for tourism
4. Digitalisation: must not remain a buzzword.
5. Mobility: Mountain tourism is dependent on excellent transport links to meet the needs of all travellers – bikers, hikers and bon vivants should all get their money’s worth.
6. Synergies: Cross-sectoral approaches create a win-win situation.
7. Funding instruments: a stronger focus of funding instruments on projects and offer design is necessary.
8. Infrastructures: public investments require overarching development strategies
9. Tourism awareness: The population can make a decisive contribution to tourism development
10. Tourism labour market / education: a better anchoring of tourism in the education system and innovative employment models strengthen the tourism labour market
11. Sustainability: Commitment to sustainability secures the future of mountain tourism. But beware of empty promises and «green-washing».
12. Regulations: Reducing administrative burdens lowers the costs of tourism businesses.
(Quelle: STV)
