Sustainability

Ratschings: sustainable into the future

In today’s world, quality without sustainability is no quality at all. That’s why, here in Ratschings, we strive to follow a quality-driven path whereby people and nature walk hand in hand: in tourism and agriculture, as in mobility and artisanship.
In pursuit of this aim, we have set out on our path towards “South Tyrol Sustainability Programme” certification. We are aiming to achieve the highest level of certification, which is globally recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).
We would like to involve the wider population in this process by means of a general survey, which was conducted in autumn.
Rather than marking the end of this project, certification should signal the beginning of a constant improvement of the destination as a whole, and lead to a long-term mutually beneficial relationship between residents and guests.

2023's surveys in a nutshell

The 2023 guest survey in a nutshell

A guest survey was conducted in summer 2023, in which 515 people were interviewed. Germany and Italy were among the main markets. The average age of the guests was around 40 and the majority (80%) traveled by car. Most guests discover Ratschings through recommendations from friends or family - the stay is usually spent with a partner or family and is characterized by the keywords nature, landscape, peace and quiet and spending time together.

The results of the guest survey

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Have a look at the detailed results of the guest survey!

File size: 3.88 MB

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2023's population survey in a nutshell

The population survey in the municipality of Ratschings carried out in autumn of 2023, focused on sustainability and the interaction with guests, locals and the tourism association. The evaluation shows that the 333 participants cover a wide age spectrum and are favorable towards the community and the future of tourism. Points of criticism are high living costs and the traffic density, while gastronomy and the preservation of culture and tradition are praised. The population's main aspirations are nature and landscape conservation as well as more quality and preservation of tradition in tourism.

The results of the population survey

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See the results of the population survey in detail

File size: 2.46 MB

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Hannes Rainer explains what his mission is all about and much more in the video!

Check out these 3 learnings from Hannes Rainer:

Sustainability starts with the construction of the building! Find out more about ecological construction and remember: you can also achieve your goal with small steps.
Short distances have priority! Look around your local area for suitable suppliers from whom you can source your products and work with them.
Consider the realization of your concept! Think about how you can stick with it and how to convince your employees to go down this path with you.

The organic way of life

Organic farmer Thomas Zössmayr

Lettuce, carrots, mangold and much more - the assortment on the vegetable field of organic farmer Thomas Zössmayr's "Waldförster" is highly varied and includes both traditional vegetables and rarities. Working in the rhythm of nature, which sets the pace in the field, gives the highly motivated organic farmer great satisfaction. For him, organic is not a simple lifestyle, but a set of values.

"Organic is not just what I grow. It is also apparent in the way I treat the environment, my fellow citizens and, last but not least, my employees."