The Greens in the Saxon state parliament are calling for a greater focus on sustainability in tourism. The term must become a guiding principle, explained MP Thomas Löser. After all, climate change is already having a tangible impact on the offers in the Free State: "For many tourism businesses in Saxony, winter has long ceased to be a reliable business. A lack of snow, rising costs and uncertain seasons have become the new normal."
"Sustainability remains largely voluntary, non-binding and without a clear steering effect. The Free State is thus missing out on opportunities, which is negligent, especially in times of tight budgets," criticized Löser. A lot is announced, analyzed and monitored, but hardly prioritized. "There are neither binding target values nor a transparent allocation of funds."
Instruments for sustainability not yet sufficiently used
According to Löser, instruments such as sustainability criteria, mobility offers or guest taxes are recommended but not consistently used to actively manage tourism. In the case of year-round tourism, there is a lack of binding plans for the climate and environment, while the expansion of lake landscapes is being discussed without strategically safeguarding ecological sustainability and visitor management.
