Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (2023)

  • Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (1)

    The Lendplatz Market in Graz

    Graz Tourism / Harry Schiffer

    Market on Lendplatz

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  2. Sustainability

What is a "sustainable holiday"? It means treating resources and nature in a way that future generations will still have the chance to experience Austria's quality of life.

  • Cable Cars in Austria
  • Three great visions for a sustainable holiday destination
  • CleanUP Days: Every piece counts!
  • Holidays in Austria are so Sustainable
  • Sustainably Mobile
  • Austria, Kingdom of Water

Mountains, lakes, and hospitality - that's what Austria is for us. And for our guests. Taking care of clean water and air as well as a responsible use of our resources is key for both nature and Austria as a popular holiday destination. Austria is a precious natural paradise: To preserve it, a sense of responsibility, many concrete measures and the courage to make changes that benefit the environment are essential.

Think and Act Long-Term For Guests in Austria

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    Sehnsuchtskampagnen 2018 - #AustrianGemütlichkeit

    Austrian National Tourist Office / Dieter Steinbach

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (3) Economic Sustainability

    Everything guests love about holidays in Austria is carefully considered and well-balanced by their hosts. The motto is "high-quality simplicity".

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    Die Mittlere Spitalalpe im Kleinwalsertal

    Kleinwalsertal Tourismus eGen / Oliver Farys

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (5) Social Sustainability

    Local hosts are proud of their products and the way they treat their guests. A fair working environment is key.

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    Wachau apricot

    austrianimages.com / Martin Siepmann

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (7) Ecological Sustainability

    Regional products, clean air to breathe, protected natural areas and healthy biodiversity: This is what sustainable holidays look like in Austria.

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Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (8)

Cable cars in Austria: Up the mountain the green way

Those loving to marvel at the mountains from above make the ascent on foot - or comfortably by cable car. This is the most environmentally friendly way to conquer a summit besides hiking. Austria's cable car companies are constantly investing in sustainability: Great fun with a low eco-footprint!

Learn more

Cable car to the Rax

Wiener Alpen / Franz Zwickl

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    (Video) Top 10 Places To Visit In Austria

    Ramblers Bad Gastein

    Ramblers

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    Gastein cable cars in SalzburgerLand

    90% of the energy needed for heating the valley station comes from a solar system.

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    View from the Schmittenhöhe to Zell am See

    Schmittenhöhebahn

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    Schmittenhöhebahn near Zell am See

    A huge photovoltaic system generates green electricity for rail operations.

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    Familie in der Gondel

    Daniel Zangerl

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    Cable cars in Söll in Tirol

    Parts of the cable car premises are heated with exhaust heat from the gondola lift.

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    Alpine meadow near Matrei in East Tyrol

    Austrian National Tourist Office / Michael Stabentheiner

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    Brixen Sun Lift in Tirol

    The world's first solar lift: powered by sun energy only.

Three great visions for a sustainable holiday destination

Being close to nature and enjoying the natural and cultural landscapes in a biodiverse world is key for more and more people. And in Austria, they'll find exactly that kind of environment. There are countless projects aiming to maintain and keep improving sustainable products and services. The goal: To make Austria an all-round sustainable holiday destination for locals, guests and hosts alike. There are three core visions:

Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (13)

Lavender roof with beehives and photovoltaics

Boutiquehotel Stadthalle Wien

Vienna

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The Vision of Technology

The main tools for reducing our carbon footprint as a tourist destination are zero emissions, a focus on public transport and environmentally-friendly forms of energy, achieved by state-of-the-art technologies.

The Boutiquehotel Stadthalle in Vienna is one of the prime examples of what this vision can look like in reality: It is the world's first hotel with a zero-energy balance in an urban area!

The passive house is heated with groundwater pumps and a solar system, while a photovoltaic system provides electricity.

Learn more about Boutiquehotel Stadthalle

Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (14)

The harvested pears are ready for the first step in the cider production

Mostviertel Tourismus / weinfranz.at

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The Vision of Regionality

Material treasures deserve just as much protection as the idealistic heritage. Maintaining traditions contributes significantly to reaching sustainability goals. Regional handicraft businesses play an important role in Austria, and are often happy to open their doors to visitors. Old craft techniques are brought back to life - and inspire guests and locals alike.

Austria's farmers provide a variety of regional products that are particularly appreciated by visitors. Take the so-called "Most barons" in Lower Austria's Mostviertel region for instance, who combine tradition with state-of-the-art cellar technology to produce exquisite pear "most" (pear cider). Their goal is to preserve the art of traditional cidre making in the Moststrasse region.

Learn more about the Moststrasse (Perry Road)

Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (15)

Kitzbuehel

Austrian National Tourist Office / Sebastian Stiphout

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The vision of the Environmentally Conscious Host

Guests value being well taken care of in an authentic environment, by hosts who know, live and appreciate the special traditions and costums of their region.

(Video) 10 Best Places to Visit in Austria - Travel Video

In the Hohe Tauern National Park, enthusiastic rangers are happy to share their knowledge of the regional nature reserve and biodiversity. As hiking guides, wildlife watchers and gourmets, they introduce their guests to both their natural surroundings and the seasonal cuisine. Authentic first-hand experiences are guaranteed.

Learn more about the Hohe Tauern National Park

Unfortunately, rubbish ends up in forests, on the mountain, on the lakeshore - volunteers pick it up. This is the idea of the CleanUP Days for the preservation of natural spaces.

CleanUP Days

Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (16)

Tirol CleanUp Days 2022

PATRON Plasticfree Peaks

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Alpine Lifestyle: Crystal-Clear Water and Nature

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    An Alpine Sense of Life

    Austrian National Tourist Office / WEST4MEDIA

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Holidays in Austria are so Sustainable

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    Drachensteigen, Ferien mit Familie auf der Gjaidalm

    Austrian National Tourist Office / thecreatingclick.com

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    Enjoy nature sustainably

    The eco-diversity of Austria's national parks is impressive: primeval and riparian forests, steppes and valley landscapes.

    Read more
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    Kärntner Käsnudel krendeln im Gasthof Grünwald

    ARGE Slow Food Travel / Wolfgang Hummer

    Dellach

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    Eat and drink sustainably

    Regional seasonal products from organic farmers are used for traditional and modern cuisine: Sustainability tastes great!

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    Auf der Junior Suite Terrasse mit Sitzgelegenheit

    Boutiquehotel Stadthalle Wien

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    Sustainable living

    Green electricity, a reduced carbon footprint, organic farming: More and more hotels in Austria have a sustainability certificate.

    Read more

"The products should be made and produced by people with a heart and a lot of love, then they taste better."Josef Floh, organic farmer from Lower Austria, who only purchases products within a 66 km radius.

Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (21)

Gastwirtschaft Floh, Floh

Jürgen Skarwan

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Josef Floh

Mobile Sustainability Full of Ideas

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    BUS:STOP Krumbach

    Vorarlberg Tourismus / Darko Todorovic

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (23) Bus fleet in Vorarlberg

    Guests in the "Ländle" have long been mobile without a car! Shuttle services and hiking buses are modern, comfortable, and run frequently.

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    Guest card is also a ticket! Brixental Cycle Path or Wilder Kaiser Cycle Path

    Gerhard Berger

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (25) Free ride in Tirol

    Travel free of charge around the province! In the holiday regions Hohe Salve, Brixental, St. Johann in Tirol and Pillerseetal guest cards include regional transport.

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    Vineyard of the Winery Lackner Tinnacher, South Styria

    Weingut Lackner Tinnacher / Gery Wolf

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (27) Car-free in the Southern Styrian Wine Country

    The WEINmobil offers a comprehensive shuttle service "door-to-door" throughout all five villages on the South Styrian Wine Route.

    Read more
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    Landscape seen from a train

    ÖBB / Barbara Seyr

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (29) Tirol on the Tracks

    Rail travel in Tirol is enjoyable, convenient, and hassle-free. Timetables and booking options can be found on the train companies' websites.

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Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (30)

Alpine Pearls - Car-free Holidays

Hiking in the Tauerntal

Österreich Werbung / Dietmar Denger

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Sustainably Mobile

Going on holidays without a car? The environment will thank you! And it's easy to get around car-free in many Austrian regions:

The Alpine Pearls - traffic-free places
Four charming villages in the Austrian Alps with a strong focus on climate protection and sustainability, allowing car- and carefree holidays. Hiking buses, valley and ski buses, hiking cabs and carriage rides are available. On top, e-bikes and regular bikes can be rented free of charge.

The Transdanube Pearls
A network of regions along the Danube in Upper Austria where guests can travel sustainably by bus, train, bike and boat.

Austria's Bathing Lakes in crystal clear Turquoise

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    Weissensee

    Kärnten Werbung / Edward Gröger

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    Schwimmen im Fuschlsee

    Austrian National Tourist Office / Andreas Hofer

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    Lake Attersee

    Austrian National Tourist Office / Reinhold Leitner

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    Lake Matt, Obertrummerlake

    Salzburger Seenland

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    Schwimmen im Altausseer See

    Austrian National Tourist Office / thecreatingclick.com

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Austria, Kingdom of Water

Fresh, pure water is a treasure Austria is particularly proud of - unsurprisingly, therefore, the locals handle it with great care: 100% of Austria's water comes from springs and groundwater, it is crystal-clear and of great quality.

Countless measures have been taken for decades to maintain the excellent water quality of Austria's lakes. And the efforts have clearly paid off: The EU bathing water report certifies Austria's lakes excellent water quality. 99,2 % of 261 tested waters regularly receive the top ratings "excellent" and "good".

Did you know that ...

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    (Video) Munich and the Foothills of the Alps

    Railjet through Austria

    ÖBB / Philipp Horak

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    ... by taking the train instead of a car you reduce your CO2 emissions by about 80%?

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    Ecological footprint at the Weidendom in the Lettmair Au

    Nationalpark Gesäuse / Stefan Leitner

    National Park Gesäuse

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    Komfort Zimmer mit Blick aufs Lavendeldach

    Boutiquehotel Stadthalle Wien

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    ... the Austrian Green Building Award honours sustainable construction? Energy efficiency and renewable sources are the key factors.

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (39)

    National Park Hohe Tauern - Weisssee

    Austrian National Tourist Office / Reinhold Leitner

    Weisssee Glacier world

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  • Records & Superlatives: Austria's Extraordinary Nature Up Close

    From the longest gorge and the oldest national park to the largest bathing lake: where Austria's nature boasts superlatives. #feelAustria

    Austria's Records in a Nutshell

    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (40)

    Zillertal Alps near to the Olperer Hut

    Österreich Werbung / Michael Stabentheiner

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  • Fresh Air for Hot Cities

    Summers are becoming hotter, prompting initiatives such as those by the "Breathe Earth Collective" to bring a breath of fresh air to the cities.

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    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (41)

    Inside the Airship, Museumsquartier Vienna

    Breathe Earth Collective

    Vienna

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  • The Best Places to Stargaze

    Picnic under the stars, star gardens, star huts. Be bedazzled by the night sky at these places where stargazing becomes a true experience.

    To the stars!

    Sustainable holidays in Austria: Enjoy with a clear conscience (42)

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    Ayurveda Resort MANDIRA, Yoga Terrace Stargate

    Ayurveda Resort Mandira / Michael Huber

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FAQs

What makes a holiday sustainable? ›

If possible, take fewer flights and stay longer, and choose a direct route. Take offs and landings are both the most fuel hungry, so minimising the number of stop offs will reduce the amount of CO2 emitted on the way to your destination. You can also buy a carbon offset.

How can we make holidays more sustainable? ›

Holiday Decorations & Christmas Trees
  1. Use Energy Star qualified LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights. ...
  2. Recycle your old holiday lights but not into your home recycling receptacles. ...
  3. Go light-free: candles, the starry night sky, and reflective ornaments and menorahs provide electricity-free holiday cheer.

What makes a country sustainable? ›

Sustainability focusses on equal economic growth, that generates wealth for all, without harming the environment. Investment and an equal distribution of the economic resources will strengthen the other pillars of sustainability for a complete development.

What makes something sustainable? ›

A sustainable product is a good that doesn't deplete resources while offering environmental, social, and economic benefits throughout its life cycle.

Why do people enjoy eco holiday? ›

Ecotourism – a sustainable way to travel

Educated people about nature and conservation. It keeps the world beautiful in its natural state. It has a lower ecological footprint than other ways to travel. It supports local communities.

How can I enjoy holidays more? ›

If you want to get the absolute best benefit out of your holiday break, here's what you really need to do:
  1. Unplug from work. ...
  2. Get plenty of sleep. ...
  3. Try out a new skill. ...
  4. Do something memorable. ...
  5. Spend time with family, friends, or community. ...
  6. Enjoy yourself.
Dec 26, 2016

How can we celebrate Christmas in a sustainable way? ›

How to Have a 'Green' Christmas
  1. Buy less. Some holiday gifts fill a practical need and need to be bought new. ...
  2. Buy smart: think 'green' Look for locally made gifts. ...
  3. Lower the impact of holiday lighting. ...
  4. Choose a live tree. ...
  5. Make homemade cards. ...
  6. Find alternatives to wrapping paper. ...
  7. Reuse/recycle.

What are the 3 main areas of sustainability? ›

ECOSOC operates at the centre of the UN system's work on all three pillars of sustainable development—economic, social and environmental.

What are the 5 factors of sustainability? ›

There are six factors of sustainability: climate change, environment, innovation, technology, people, and ethics.

What are the 4 factors of sustainability? ›

The term sustainability is broadly used to indicate programs, initiatives and actions aimed at the preservation of a particular resource. However, it actually refers to four distinct areas: human, social, economic and environmental – known as the four pillars of sustainability.

What are the 6 words about sustainability? ›

Get pupils thinking about our impact on the environment with the 6Rs: Rethink, Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair. The 6 Rs encourage us to consider how we can lead a more sustainable life. They are all useful terms to explore reducing the impact of technology on people and the environment.

What best describes sustainable? ›

Sustainable development has been defined in many ways, but the most frequently quoted definition is from Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report: "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

What are some examples of being sustainable? ›

  • Think twice before shopping.
  • Make sure your big purchases have big environmental benefits.
  • Go #PlasticFree.
  • Boycott products that endanger wildlife.
  • Pay attention to labels.
  • Be water wise.
  • Drive less, drive green.
  • Green your home.

What is an eco-friendly vacation? ›

Environmentally conscious travel destinations use renewable energy, fight climate change, and offer opportunities for volunteerism to conserve natural resources. Here are a few examples of eco-friendly travel destinations for your bucket list.

What are the benefits of an eco-friendly lifestyle? ›

  • Water and energy efficiency. Energy prices are steadily increasing year by year, and with a growing population, the demand and costs for energy are only set to increase. ...
  • Less maintenance. ...
  • Healthy indoor environment. ...
  • Lower carbon footprint. ...
  • Higher property value.

What attracts eco tourists? ›

This is the definition of ecotourism by The International Ecotourism Society (TIES). The interests of the local population and the protection of nature and wildlife are the top priorities of ecotourism holidays.

What are 2 good reasons to enjoy holidays? ›

7 big reasons to enjoy holidays biannually
  • Reason #3 Holidays are the key to good health. ...
  • Reason #4 Holidays create an overall well being. ...
  • Reason #5 Holidays are responsible for long and satisfying relationships. ...
  • Reason #6 Holidays boost job performance. ...
  • Reason #7 Holidays cures stress.

How do holidays make people feel? ›

The holidays are usually viewed as a time of happiness and rejoicing. But for some people, it can be a period of painful reflection, sadness, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Even people who love the holidays can experience the blues during this busy season.

How can I enjoy holidays without stress? ›

Through the endless parties, cooking, shopping and cleaning, try taking one of 9 steps to ensure you have a stress-free holiday:
  1. Plan ahead. ...
  2. Say no. ...
  3. Plan spending. ...
  4. Create relaxing surroundings. ...
  5. Maintain healthy habits. ...
  6. Share feelings. ...
  7. Respect differences. ...
  8. Be realistic.
Dec 3, 2021

What should I ask for for Christmas sustainable? ›

  • Overview: The Top 5 Places to Buy Sustainable Christmas Gifts.
  • Beautiful Jewelry from Karativa.
  • Eco-Friendly Scarf from Thought.
  • Socks for a Cause from Conscious Step.
  • Festive Candles from Siblings.
  • Delicious Chocolate from Beyond Good.
  • Hiking Water Bottle from Super Sparrow.
  • Winter Coats from Apricoat.
Oct 27, 2022

How do you spend Christmas in a meaningful way? ›

10 Real Ways to Celebrate Christmas
  1. Take time to reflect. ...
  2. Pray or go to Church. ...
  3. Spend time with family and friends. ...
  4. Bake or create. ...
  5. The gift of giving. ...
  6. Keep the love going. ...
  7. Create your own crackers. ...
  8. Christmas carols.
Dec 25, 2013

What are the three factors of sustainable tourism? ›

According to the International Labor Organization (ILO, 2017) “Sustainable tourism consists of three main pillars: social justice, economic development, and environmental integrity.

How do we celebrate Christmas sustainably? ›

Think about materials: Look at the materials gifts are made from and keep sustainability in mind. Ensure wood and paper gifts are made from recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified materials. Avoid single plastics items that can't be recycled and look for things like Organic-certified food and clothing.

How can we sustainably decorate for Christmas? ›

You can also go foraging for some natural elements, like pinecones, branches, rosehips, and holly. But if you prefer to buy them instead, choose decor made of recycled materials or FSC-certified wood. Many sustainable decorations are also made from organic cotton, linen, vintage fabrics, or raffia.

How do you make Christmas gifts sustainable? ›

Don't forget to take your eco bags when you go shopping for presents, food and other supplies! Choose gifts, decorations and groceries with minimal packaging, or opt for those in recyclable or compostable packaging. Say no to palm oil, or choose products made with sustainable palm oil.

What are the 5 principles of sustainable tourism? ›

What are the Five Principles for Successful and Sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism?
  • Collaborate.
  • Find the Fit.
  • Make Sites / Programs Come Alive.
  • Focus on Quality and Authenticity.
  • Preserve and Protect.

What are the 7 forms of sustainable tourism? ›

Tourism forms identified by the literature as being “sustainable” are numerous: ecological tourism (ecotourism), green tourism, soft, rural tourism and agrotourism, community tourism, solidarity and responsible tourism, all these opposing to the traditional, mass tourism.

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