Vorarlberg all in green

"Sustainability is booming - especially in the last two years, because there was time to think about other ways of doing business," says Julia Weger, who advises on Ecolabel processes in Vorarlberg, among other places. "Many have used this difficult time for sustainable change and development. Now we face the challenge of maintaining this drive after Corona," says Weger.

The fact that green is "in" can be seen, for example, in the museums, which are really clamouring for a reliable sustainability seal such as the Ecolabel. Which is relatively new. For years, the Kunsthaus in Vienna was one of the few museums that proudly wore the Ecolabel and made repeated efforts to show environmental awareness in its programme as well.

Museums with the Ecolabel

Those days are over. The Kunsthaus is no longer the only museum that pays attention to sustainability.

Especially in Vorarlberg, sustainability and environmental awareness are in great demand. The inatura-Erlebnis Naturschau in Dornbirn is not the only museum in the province to show interest in the Ecolabel. The large vorarlberg museum in Bregenz, the women's museum in Hittisau and also the Montafon museums are currently in the certification process.

Festspielhaus Bregenz- James Bond Location

International Lake Constance Conference

The theme is also finding favour in the museum world internationally. It is therefore not surprising that the Lake Constance Conference of ICOM, the International Council of Museums, taking place in Bregenz in mid-May 2022, will be all about sustainability in museum work. A similar picture emerges at the many local museum days.

Accommodation with a reliable seal

Lake Constance, forests and not least mountains are constant reminders of the formative presence of nature in Vorarlberg. So nothing stands in the way of a sustainable cultural and nature holiday in Austria's westernmost province, especially since many hotels (including such well-known ones as the Hotel Schwärzler in Bregenz, the Hotel Gasthof Krone in Hittisau or the Gasthof Adler in Schoppernau) and flat houses such as the Alphus in Warth or Karin Beer´s Appartements in Schoppernau are certified with the Ecolabel, proving that they also think about the environment when it comes to catering, energy and cleaning, among other things. The Propstei St. Gerold im Biosphärenpark Großes Walsertal hosts a particularly large number of sustainably minded seminar guests. Guests in the small but fine towns "in front of the Arlberg" find accommodation at the Hotel Weisses Kreuz in Feldkirch, the Sternen Hotel in Wolfurt or the Fairmotel in Dornbirn.

"It is also nice that the two large event venues in Vorarlberg, the Festspiel- und Kongresshaus Bregenz and the Montforthaus Feldkirch, are certified with the Ecolabel" finds advisor Weger. She is particularly pleased to be able to accompany the CUBUS, Wolfurt's event hall, on its way there.

Green Events

Several events in Vorarlberg have already been awarded the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Meetings & Events. Well-known is probably the Poolbar Festival in and around Feldkirch, which will take place again this summer and has already been awarded once. Certified festivals such as the Feldkirch Juggler Festival or the Feldkirch Wine Festival are expected to take place this year (which was not possible during the past two years due to Corona), albeit in a reduced form. The Montfort Zwischentöne will also take place in 2022. And more and more corporate events are also getting themselves certified with the Ecolabel.

Public Transport Vorarlberg City Bus Country Bus

Environmentally friendly and free on the road

What will be possible in any case: free public travel to and from many events for visitors. This is possible thanks to the cooperation between event organisers and the Vorarlberg public transport association. In many cases, the ticket is now also a ticket for travel in the area covered by the association.

Holidaymakers who do not yet have a climate ticket can use the Bodensee ticket to travel cheaply by train, bus and boat in three countries.

Vorarlberg generally makes it easy for residents and visitors alike to use environmentally friendly public transport. "In the Rhine Valley you don't necessarily need a car," says sustainability expert Weger. "Buses and trains run at regular, short intervals, often until late at night."