Helena presented the Swisstainable initiative, which encourages visitors to experience Switzerland more responsively.
Helena's keynote started with a presentation of Switzerland Tourism, which has been promoting Switzerland as a holiday, travel and conference destination since 1917. She stated that they are responsible for developing and implementing demand-enhancing marketing programmes and promoting a strong Swiss tourism brand.
Helena's keynote started with a presentation of Switzerland Tourism, which has been promoting Switzerland as a holiday, travel and conference destination since 1917. She stated that they are responsible for developing and implementing demand-enhancing marketing programmes and promoting a strong Swiss tourism brand.
Helena Videtic, Sustainability Manager at Switzerland Tourism, presented the Swisstainable initiative, which encourages visitors to experience Switzerland more responsively, adding information on how the destination is implementing more sustainable practices, in the scope of mobility, water, nature conservation, air, food and recycling.
Helena's keynote started with a presentation of Switzerland Tourism, which has been promoting Switzerland as a holiday, travel and conference destination since 1917. She stated that they are responsible for developing and implementing demand-enhancing marketing programmes and promoting a strong Swiss tourism brand.
When introducing the Swisstainable strategy, Helena covered a number of points. She said them and their values stand for heritage, reliability and safety, and that they differentiate themselves from other DMOs because of their diversity, convenience and sustainability. If you were wondering what guests get out of the experience, she mentioned that the benefits they get are relaxation, naturalness and activation, which makes the brand be perceived as refreshing and different, as well as authentic.
Helena then moved on to positioning Switzerland's strategy as of today. They are applying the 17 United Nations Sustainability Development Goals, the Swiss Federation Council has committed to a climate-neutral Switzerland by 2050 and sustainability takes on a central role in the federal government's new tourism strategy. In addition to this, numerous tourism service providers, destinations and industry associations are already committed to a sustainable development. Switzerland as a travel destination differentiates itself through sustainability.
Furthermore, Helena highlighted the necessity to stand out amongst competitors now that sustainability is becoming more and more important for travellers. That is why they have created a brand with the purpose of attracting attention: Swisstainable, a unique sustainability model for Switzerland.
The way in which Swisstainable is communicated is key to the success of the brand, which is why they follow four different principles:
1. Convince rather than persuade.
2. Reward rather than lecture.
3. Put people at the centre of things.
4. Focus on nature and regional assets.
This sustainability programmes has been created in collaboration with the whole industry and their academic partner, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, which means that it has been created by the industry and for the industry. Already 600+ companies have joined the programme.
Helena explained that the programme is divided into three different levels, committed, engaged and leading, which take into consideration the different requirements and the corresponding levels of the commitment to sustainability.
To wrap up her session, Helena went through the different tools which are used in the different levels depending on the requirements.
1. To remain competitive it is important to have an appealing brand but also to adapt to consumer demands.
2. It is fundamental to adapt the strategy to the different levels and stages at which organisations stand with sustainability.
Helena Videtic (1983) studied Business Administration and Tourism at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.
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