Sustainable Tourism Management in Alpine Regions

The Alpine regions are experiencing significant challenges due to high-impact tourist activities and unsustainable travel methods. This use case aims to address these issues through AI and data analytics to promote sustainable tourism and resilient infrastructure.

Challenges

The Alpine tourism industry in Slovenia and Austria faces a unique set of challenges that require innovative solutions to ensure sustainability and balance.

    • Managing visitor flows in natural areas is a critical issue, as overcrowding puts pressure on fragile ecosystems and diminishes the quality of the tourist experience.

 

    • The environmental impact of tourism needs careful attention to prevent long-term damage to the region’s natural resources.

 

    • Climate change further complicates the situation, with rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns potentially affecting the accessibility and appeal of these destinations.

 

  • Lack of awareness and information among tourists about sustainable practices exacerbates the strain on the environment, leading to behaviors that are harmful to the region’s resources.

Solutions

The solution proposed by this pilot includes:

    • Promoting sustainable practices to protect fragile environments and preserve natural resources. By encouraging responsible behavior among visitors, the objective is to reduce the ecological footprint in preserved areas while enhancing the overall tourist experience.

 

  • Fostering international and regional collaboration between Slovenia and Austria, ensuring a coordinated approach to sustainable tourism. Together, they will work to balance tourism development with environmental protection, raising awareness of sustainable practices and helping the Alpine regions thrive in the face of climate change.

Innovating to support sustainable tourism in alpine regions

This pilot will leverage key resources and innovative strategies:

    • Identifying relevant data sources to provide valuable insights into tourism flows and environmental impacts.

 

    • Developing a dashboard based on the collected data to track the carrying capacities of popular destinations, ensuring visitor numbers remain sustainable and environmentally responsible.

 

  • Creating of an end-user application to enrich the data, offering valuable insights for various platforms and stakeholders.

This pilot will pave the way for broader implementation in other regions.

The partners