"Let's be frank: achieving total carbon neutrality in the hospitality industry... is illusory"

At the end of 2024, a study published in "Nature Communications" showed that, alone, the tourism sector was responsible for 8.8% of anthropogenic climate warming in 2019.

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

But how are mindsets evolving both within the Swiss population and the global tourism industry? We conclude this series with a local tourism player: Definitely Different. This entity of the Delarive group has been active for nearly twenty years in what is now called sustainable tourism, or ecotourism, notably with its "Whitepod" concept in Valais. Interview with David Delarive, CEO of the eponymous group.

Why did you want to integrate the notion of ecotourism into your activities from the very beginning?

Let's say it wasn't a strategic choice at first, but rather a natural sensitivity and a logical reaction to our environment. When you settle in a place like "Whitepod," in the heart of nature, you quickly understand that you need to act with coherence and respect. Ecotourism emerged not as a stance, but as an obvious choice. Today, of course, we are increasingly structuring this approach. But originally, it was about aligning the place, values, and intuition — not a communication positioning.

Our real challenge is to find a balance between ecological commitment and customer satisfaction. It's a constant adjustment, and sometimes delicate.

Can we really decarbonize hotel activities, and if so, how?

Yes, we can — and we must — seek to decarbonize hospitality. But let's be realistic: if we consider the entire value chain — construction, customer travel, supply, food, maintenance — tourism remains an activity with a negative environmental impact. That doesn't mean we should throw in the towel; on the contrary. We need to do better, with a bit of technology, a lot of common sense, and a good dose of honesty.

A simple example: when you walk in the mountains and see a piece of plastic by the path, do you pick it up? Many would answer "yes," but the reality observed on the trails tells a different story. Change starts there!

On our side, we act concretely. This involves lightweight, reversible constructions made with sustainable materials. We also use renewable energies and optimize our consumption thanks, in particular, to the latest technological innovations. We reduce our waste and encourage eco-mobility. Finally, we offer local, seasonal, and low-impact cuisine. But beyond these actions, nothing replaces a true culture of respect and shared responsibility between the hotelier and the traveler.

What more could you do? Is carbon neutrality achievable in tourism?

Let's be frank: achieving total carbon neutrality in hospitality... is illusory, unless we live in a civilization of prohibitions. No travel, no business, no electricity, a house built with one's own hands, in absolute self-sufficiency — and even then, nothing guarantees that it would be truly neutral.

So no, we will never be "perfect," but that's not a reason to do nothing. Personally, I believe more in a regenerative approach, too often forgotten in calculations: what positive things are we creating that didn't exist before? Have we restored an ecosystem? Passed on ecological awareness? Supported a local industry?

I think Swiss tourism, like many other industries, is lagging behind international trends. There is this saying that "everything happens ten years later in Switzerland," and it's not completely false.

Are sustainability and luxury inseparable from ecotourism today?

Yes, and it's a significant evolution. Luxury today is no longer about ostentation or excess: it's about time, calm, space, nature — a mastered simplicity. Accommodation can be both very comfortable, elegant, and responsible. It's not about offering less, but differently: with awareness, finesse, and special attention to detail. This is what we consider the new luxury. And it naturally fits into a demanding ecotourism logic.

Isn't the term "ecotourism" being misused today?

Unfortunately, yes. The term has become a marketing argument, sometimes stripped of any real content. It only takes two green plants and three wooden signs to claim to be "eco-friendly"... Greenwashing undermines those who act seriously. Therefore, we must demand more honesty and rigor in how we talk about ecology in tourism.

Today, global tourism generates 8.8% of global carbon emissions... How do you think this balance can be reduced?

Three areas dominate, if I'm not mistaken, the emissions: transport — especially air travel — accommodation, and food. To reduce this balance, we need to combine two approaches.

On one hand, change the model, either by slowing down, promoting local tourism, extending stays, rehabilitating rather than building, or offering more modest experiences. And on the other hand, we need to innovate, which includes developing cleaner means of transport, optimizing energy management, eliminating baths, limiting plastics, prioritizing local products, and avoiding waste...

But let's be honest: like many, I also enjoy spending a weekend in Ibiza or London, and taking a bath at the hotel. From a carbon perspective, it's hard to defend. And yet... it feels good. That's the complexity: finding a balance between environmental awareness and human needs. The goal is not to be perfect, but to do our best.

Stressful airports, crowded tourist sites, long flights... Can we still talk about pleasure when it comes to travel?

Even with its constraints, travel remains a breath of mental oxygen, a moment of letting go in a hyperconnected world. And I'm not going to lie: I've had some frankly disastrous travel experiences — transport mishaps, delays, improbable hotels... sometimes that weren't even built.

But those moments often create unique memories, sometimes even unforgettable ones. Perhaps that's the heart of the pleasure of travel: it's not the absence of difficulties, but the ability to navigate through them and derive something from them. Ultimately, it's often the imperfections that make the experience human, real, and memorable.

Local tourism, short circuits, and rediscovering one's own territory are on the rise, which is a good thing.

Will the future of tourism be more local, like in food?

Yes, and we can already see it. Local tourism, short circuits, and rediscovering one's own territory are on the rise, which is a good thing. But in hospitality, we also need to remain realistic: the notion of "customer is king" remains at the heart of the experience. And sometimes, local Coca-Cola doesn't cut it... So, do we adopt an approach that could frustrate, do we offer alternatives, or do we please the customer at all costs?

We often cling to negative comments on platforms, often linked to frustration born from the gap between the traveler's expectations — justified or not — and the reality of the offer. And this frustration doesn't always come from a lack of quality, but sometimes simply from the fact that we propose a logic different from what was expected.

The real challenge lies there: finding a balance between ecological commitment and customer satisfaction. It's a constant adjustment, and sometimes delicate.

Finally, what specific analysis do you have on the Swiss tourist? Does ecology rank among their primary concerns when preparing for their next vacation?

I think Swiss tourism, like many other industries, is lagging behind international trends. There is this saying that "everything happens ten years later in Switzerland," and it's not completely false. We also have this deeply ingrained habit of comfort. As soon as we ask the customer to use solid shampoo, a low-flow shower, or not change the sheets every day, it becomes complicated to accept without generating frustration.

But despite this, a new generation is emerging: more open, more curious, more aware. And that's where I truly believe. We don't need to revolutionize everything: sometimes, it just takes a return to common sense, accepting change not out of constraint, but out of curiosity, and daring to try something different. Perhaps that's, in the end, the most beautiful act of sustainable tourism.

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