"The Swiss are looking to move away from the beaten track and to avoid mass tourism"

At the end of 2024, a study published in "Nature Communications" showed that, on its own, the tourism sector was responsible in 2019 for 8.8% of anthropogenic global warming. The tourism industry is particularly polluting, since each dollar earned in this sector generated 1.02 kg of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. By comparison, that's about four times more than the services sector (0.24 kg/$) and 30% more than the global economy (0.77 kg/$).

After the brief Covid interlude, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the contribution of travel and tourism to total global greenhouse gas emissions still reached 6.5% in 2023. In a world forced to decarbonize as quickly as possible, tourism will therefore clearly have a role to play.

But how are attitudes evolving both among the Swiss population and within the global tourism industry? To answer this, we went to interview a few players and specialists in the sector as part of this new interview series. We start with the viewpoint of Valbone Hoxha, director and administrator of L'Atelier du Voyage.

Based on your observations, what are the new travel desires of the Swiss?

We are observing a real evolution in the expectations of Swiss travelers. In general, they are increasingly seeking authentic experiences. Many are looking to get off the beaten path and avoid mass tourism, which they have often already experienced... and deeply disliked.

How important are ecological concerns in the Swiss' choice of holidays right now?

Ecological concerns are taking an increasing place, particularly among younger generations. More and more travelers are questioning their environmental impact: they want to know the carbon footprint of their travel and to avoid destinations affected by overtourism.

That said, we must remain realistic: while ecological awareness is growing, it often remains secondary to other criteria, such as the need to get away or the budget.

Today, sustainability and luxury seem inseparable when we talk about ecotourism and tailor-made travel... Are only the wealthier really able to reduce their carbon footprint on holiday?

Not necessarily. It is true that some sustainable options can cost more — I am thinking in particular of eco-certified accommodations, or direct flights which are often more expensive than those with stopovers. But that does not mean that "traveling responsibly" is reserved for an elite. We would probably need to start by redefining what this notion actually implies.

Traveling more responsibly is first and foremost about rethinking one's choices. For example, favoring a longer stay rather than several short trips spaced over the year already helps to significantly reduce one's impact. Once on site, choosing to travel by land, to use public or shared transport rather than renting a private car, or favoring local restaurants and short supply chains, are all actions accessible to everyone.

Our philosophy is based on the idea of offering our clients the chance to travel to discover and not simply to "do" a country.

Concretely, how do you reduce the footprint of your offerings? And avoid the growing risks of greenwashing?

Since our beginnings, our philosophy has been based on the idea of offering our clients travel to discover rather than simply "do" a country. We design itineraries with the goal of always offering "real journeys".

This sometimes implies setting limits. For example, we sometimes advise against certain destinations or types of stay. Going to Costa Rica to spend ten nights all-inclusive without leaving the hotel and taking the trouble to visit the country a little is contrary to our vision of travel — and we tell our clients this clearly. Of course, we remain attentive to their desires, but we try as much as possible to raise their awareness of the impact of their choices and to encourage them to travel more consciously.

We also work with committed local partners. They are the ones who live there, who see the concrete effects of overtourism on their environment, their culture, their resources and know how important it is to protect their country from this scourge.

I think we are truly in a transition period and that many changes are underway. We are fully aware that offering 100% sustainable tourism is very difficult today — perhaps even impossible. But we make considered choices and try to be transparent and consistent. For each trip, we try to provide the necessary information so that our clients can decide with full knowledge of the facts: what are the impacts? What is essential? What can be avoided or done differently?

Today, global tourism generates 8.8% of global carbon emissions... How can the sector reduce this footprint in your view?

It is obvious that the tourism sector must do its part, and this requires action at all levels and the involvement of everyone. The whole supply chain must reinvent itself, from airlines to small local agencies, including accommodation providers, activity operators and of course... the travelers themselves.

Travel responds to a deeply human "need". Always, despite crises, conflicts or upheavals, people travel.

Similar to food, will the future of tourism be more local and favor short supply chains?

Partly, certainly. We are already seeing a trend towards rediscovering what is near home and it is possible to find a total change of scenery not far from home.

That said, the desire to explore distant horizons will not disappear. Travel answers a deeply human "need". Always, despite crises, conflicts or upheavals, people travel. Traveling is each person's unconscious expressing itself, a quest for meaning, emotion and freedom.

As an agency, our role today is to accompany this need with greater responsibility. Travel must not be sacrificed, but reinvented to preserve our planet, which is furthermore our main "raw material".

Stressful airports, crowded tourist sites, long flights... Can we still speak of pleasure when we talk about travel?

Yes, absolutely — but again, on condition of rethinking our way of traveling. The pleasure of travel is still there, intact, but it depends on what is important to the traveler. We increasingly recommend to our clients to travel outside the so-called "ideal" periods. Visiting a city or country in the so-called off-season can yield very pleasant surprises: fewer tourists, more calm, a more local atmosphere.

With climate disruption, seasons have also become less marked and predictable: you can very well have sunshine in the wet season and rain in the dry season. So sure, it may be a little cooler, there may be a few drops of rain... but at least there won't be 100 people around you at the same time.

This article has been automatically translated using AI. If you notice any errors, please don't hesitate to contact us.