DESTINATIONS SKIING | EUROPE


Sustainable slopes


s travelweekly.co.uk


Sell ski holidays the eco-friendly way with advice from the experts. Lina Molloholli and India-Jayne Trainor report


kiing faces bigger challenges than many sectors when it comes to sustainability,


with significantly reduced snowfall in recent seasons and shorter durations that tend to be more carbon-intensive per night than a longer break – and that’s before clients even hit the slopes. To ensure future generations can enjoy the


exhilarating thrill of a snowy getaway, a growing number of European ski resorts are working on creative solutions to reduce fossil fuel consumption and habitat destruction in the mountains. Agents have a role to play too, encouraging clients to make more environmentally conscious choices than ever before, with eco-friendly innovations including train travel from London to popular ski regions and resorts that prioritise using renewable energy sources and local produce. From no-fly itineraries to staying and


eating locally, here are four ways to make your client’s next trip to the slopes more sustainable.


THE RIGHT RESORT European resorts such as Saas-Fee and Laax in the Swiss Alps are among those leading efforts to be more environmentally aware. Laax’s Greenstyle programme includes a seven-point plan to run entirely on renewable energy by 2030, and the resort has already implemented 200 sustainability projects, including central heating fuelled by solar energy and surplus heat from ski lift operations. In France, Val d’Isère is one of a selection of resorts to hold a prestigious Flocon Vert certification – a stamp of approval for its sustainable development. The resort has solar-powered snow cannons, while the new Vallon gondola and streamlined La Daille cable car use fewer pylons to avoid damaging the landscape.


² 16 JANUARY 2025 49


PICTURE: Philipp Ruggli


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