Robert THALER, BMLFUW [click]

Überschrift 

Dipl.-Ing. Robert Thaler 

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Watermanagement 

Divison Transport, Mobility, Human Settlements and Noise 

Environmentally Friendly Travelling 

Strategic Background of the Conference

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A warm welcome to you all, 

dear congress tourists and travellers! 

We are all tourists, indeed 

Visitors of an exciting destination beautiful but 

vulnerable, full of tourists just for a lifetime 

We are all travellers as well 

Passengers of a mini vehicle with high speed 

but low and limited ressources and space 

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management 

Division Transport, Mobility, Human Settlement and Noise 

Univ. Lekt. Dipl. Ing. Robert Thaler

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Our destination and our vehicle: 

Our blue planet – our one earth 




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Where do we come from? Where do we go? 

We love travelling! We love leisure! 

>> Tourism and mobility: entail each other and are key 

economic and regional factors 

>> Healthy environment: crucial basis for high quality of life 

and tourism: fresh air, clean water, quietness, natural and cultural 

heritages, pittoresque villages and landscapes 

>> Tourism destinations are often ecologically or culturally 

sensitive regions with high vulnerability and fragility of 

ecosystems and human settlements 




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Tourism, travelling and our environment: 

Trends are unsustainable 

>> 50 % - 75 % of environmental impacts of tourism are caused 

by transport: air pollutants, noise, green house gas emissions, land 

take, damage of landscape and villages (MuSTT Study of EC) 

>> Tourism travels show high peaks and concentrations of 

transport and environmental impacts 

>> Car and air travel are the major source of environmental 

pollutants and health risks and external costs 




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Travel behaviour determins eco-balance 

A Holiday Travel from Brussels to Alpine Werfenweng 

NOx-Emissions by Use of Plane, Train and Car 

Family with 4 Persons (Data: EPA, Vienna 2006) 

emissions in kg 

2,50 

2,00 

1,50 

1,00 

0,50 



Univ. Lekt. Dipl. Ing. Robert Thaler 

- 

2,22 

Plane Brussels- 

Salzburg 

0,28 

Train and Local 

Bus 

chosen transport mode 

Car 

1,12

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Travel behaviour determins eco-balance 

>> Car dominance in leisure trips, car and air transport 

dominance in intra-european tourism travel: 

> Domestic travel: 78% car, 10% coach, 6% rail, 

3% air, 3% ferry 

> International travel: 47% car, 39% air, 8% coach, 

5% rail, 1% ferry (EU 25 plus N, CH, BG, RO MuSTT Study of EC) 

>> Business As Usual trends: air and car travel 

increasing, rail and bus travel stagnating or decreasing 

>> Leisure and tourism patterns lead to increasing 

travel demand: longer distances, shorter, more frequent 

trips 




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On the way to sustainability: Austrian 

model project „car-free tourism“ Werfenweng 

The goal: 

synergies for tourism, transport, environment, tourists and 

locals 

The measures: 

>> New all-inclusive-packages „Holiday from Car“ 

with soft mobility guarantee 

>> Promoting rail travel and public transport 

Werfenweng shuttle 

>> Mobility centre „mobilito” 

>> Pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly 

village 

As well as … 




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>> E-vehicles for car rental, 

car sharing, hotels and 

delivery 




>> Re-charging photo voltaic 

station for e-vehicles in 

Werfenweng

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The winner is: Tourism, transport and environment 

>> Increase of overnight stays (before/after model project) 

+ 56 % winter saisons 1996/97 – 2004/05 

+ 109 % for hotels offering eco-package „holidays from car“ 

(+ 22 % Salzburg region average) 

+ 10 % summer saisons 1997 – 2004 

+ 60 % for hotels offering eco-package „holidays from car“ 

(+ 3 % Salzburg region average) 

>> Increase of train use for winter arrivals from 9 to 25% 

>> Reduction of car travel - 1,2 Mio car km 

>> Reduction of emissions - 375 tons CO2 




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On the way to sustainability: 

Transalpine EU Model Projects in Interreg IIIB 

>> Alps Mobility II – 

Alpine Pearls: 

Innovative eco-tourism 

package “Alpine Pearls”: 

model resorts for soft 

mobility combined with 

environmentally friendly 

transport means “The 

Pearl String” 

Lead Partner: Austria, 

Ministry of Environment 

>> Alpine 

Awareness 

Transalpine 

awareness raising for 

sustainable mobility: 

with a focus on 

young people, 

employees in 

transport and 

tourism and the 

general public 

Lead Partner: Italy, 

Provincia Belluno- 



Univ. Lekt. Dipl. Ing. Robert Thaler dolomitibus 

>> MOBILALP 

Alpine mobility 

management: 

development of 

innovative 

sustainable 

mobility services at 

local and regional 

level 

Lead partner: 

France, Conseil 

General de Haute 

Savoie

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Alpsmobility II Alpine Pearls 

The goal: Holiday pleasure & environmentally friendly mobility 

>> Eco-travel packages to beautiful landscapes and resorts 

in the Alps (“Alpine Pearls”) by rail and bus, taxi, ship, cable 

cars, zero emission vehicles, hybrids, e-scooters, by bicycle 

or hiking, with horse carriages, sledges (“The Pearl String”) 




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Alpsmobility II Alpine Pearls 

The requirements: How to become a “Alpine Pearl” 

>> 

>> 

>> 

>> 

municipality or destination 

fulfill certain mobility and 

tourism standards in the 

sense of sustainability 

according to special criteria 

independent quality control 

member in umbrella 

organization, pay annual 

contributions for common 

marketing 

>> 17 Starting Alpine Pearls 

from A, G, F, I and CH 




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Valley Hiking Bus Network Lungau/Murau 

Enjoy pure freedom of 

mountain holidays: 

hiking from one valley to the other, 

crossing the Alpine range, returning 

home by valley bus 

Awareness Campaign financed 

by Environment Ministry: 

Passengers “Valley Hiking bus” 

1996-2003 + 30% 

Parallel improvements 

of Integrated Public Transport 

In the entire Lungau: 

Passengers +108% 




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On the way to sustainability: Environmentally 

friendly transport&tourism Lake Neusiedl/Fertö-tó 

Lake Neusiedl Card offers 

tourist attractions plus bus, 

rail and ferries: 

Cards issued 2000-2004: +62% 

Hotel/PrivateRoom Partners: +41% 




:

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Keys for Environmentally Friendly Travelling: 

1. Creating positive images: 

Avantgarde for a sustainable life-style 

Eco-Travelling is a trademark: 

>> Zero emission, but full pleasure 

>> High quality of life and a healthy environment: wellness for 

mind, body and soul 

>> Recreating without stress from the beginning: The 

renaissance of „The Journey“ 

>> New “mobility experiences” like healthy human powered 

mobility, slow mobility, alternative vehicles 

Eco-Travelling must be a focus in communication strategies, 

marketing and media perception 




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Keys for Environmentally Friendly Travelling: 

2. All-inclusive: eco-mobility&high quality tourism 

Create attractive tourism products packaging leisure and 

tourism attractions with soft mobility 

>>Take away the fear of tourists of immobility by offering a 

ecomobility guarantee for tourists: “soft mobility card” 

Sustainable travellers deserve benefits, as they save emissions, 

ressources, avoid congestion and landscape damages 

>> special fares and hotel rates, shuttle and pick-up 

services by hotels, easy access to mobility information, 

awards 

Marketing for Soft Mobility on the tourism market, public 

awareness targeting guests and local inhabitants needed 




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Keys for Environmentally Sustainable Travelling: 

3. Soft mobility guarantee in the destinations 

In the villages: 

>> offering zero emission vehicles 

>> high quality cycling networks, traffic calming, 

pedestrianisation, car free zones 

>> local flexible public transport 

In the region: 

>> integrated bus, taxi and rail services 

>> new freedom of leisure mobility: hiking without being 

forced to return to the same parking (“Valley Bus Services”) 

>> Mobility management, regional mobility centers 

>> Information technologies for tourism and transport 




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4. Attractive rail and bus links to destinations 

Renaissance of rail travelling: Key for sustainable travel 

chain to the destinations 

>> easy access to rail services by taxi, public transport and 

cycling at the starting points of travels (e.g. in the cities) 

>> high quality rail services directly connecting 

agglomerations and destinations (direct trains and coaches) 

>> comfortable rolling stock including diners and sleepers, 

on board services, integrated luggage services, 

>> bus and taxi feeder&shuttle services from railway 

stations to the destinations 




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5. Greening our villages and cities 

Greening and revitalisation of urban areas and agglomerations 

Renaissance of nearby recreation areas, preferably car-free 

>> Easy access to nearby recreation areas by cycling, walking 

and attractive public transport services 

>> Renaissance of public transport services for leisure trips, 

particularly on weekends, in the evening and night time 

>> Packages of leisure attractions and public transport 

services, integrated tickets, “Mobility Cards”, greening events 

More equity in mobility, more environmentally sound access to 

people, goods and services and higher traffic safety 




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6. Cooperation of actors needed 

Intersectoral and transnational cooperation necessary between: 

>> Travel and transport services: rail, bus, taxis, carsharing, 

ferries, cable cars, cycling, walking, ... 

>> Tourism and transport operators: tourism organizations, 

hotels, agencies, railways, bus and public transport operators 

>> Cities and regions of origin of tourists and the destinations: 

involving policymakers and stakeholders, tourism and 

environment organizations, NGOs, the citizens, the media … 

>> National and international networks: Alpine Pearls, NETS, 

Alpsmobility, IG Sanfte Mobilität, IAKF, GAST, MuSTT, … 




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7. Political commitment and actions 

>> Strategies and framework for promoting environmentally 

friendly travelling on national, EU and international level (e.g. 

Alpine Convention) are essential 

>> Stimulating framework and support measures for 

renaissance of rail and public transport in leisure and tourism 

must be priority of transport policy and companies 

>> Commitment of stakeholders in policy, tourism and 

transport, media, of local, regional and national authorities, as 

well as of the EU for actions to promote environmentally 

friendly travelling is needed 




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Environmentally friendly travelling for a 

sustainable world to win ! 

Thank you! 

Contact: 

Dipl. Ing. Robert Thaler, Dr. Veronika Holzer 

Division Transport, Mobility, Human Settlements and Noise 

Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, 

Environment and Water Management 

e-mail: robert.thaler@bmlfuw.gv.at; veronika.holzer@bmlfuw.gv.at 

More Informations you can find at: 

www.alpsmobility.net, www.alpinepearls.com, www.mobilito.at 

www.alpineawareness.net, www.mobilalp.com, 

www.sensiblegebiete.at

Robert THALER, BMLFUW [click]

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