Sustainability
Many stakeholders, a shared path
Sustainability in the Davos Klosters destination
Sustainable tourism development affects the entire destination. In Davos Klosters, municipalities, destination management organizations, mountain railways, accommodation providers, restaurants, sports organizations, businesses, and other partners are working together on concrete measures. These measures address ecological issues such as energy, mobility, and resources, as well as regional economic development, quality of life, and accessible tourism offerings.
Sustainability in a tourism destination cannot be achieved by a single organization. It arises from many concrete steps: from the energy supply of a mountain railway and transportation to a sporting event to food stewardship, hotel investments, and the accessibility of leisure activities.
Swisstainable provides a destination-wide framework for this. The Davos Climate Fund supports specific local environmental projects. At the same time, numerous businesses and organizations contribute to the sustainable development of Davos Klosters through their own initiatives.
What sustainability means in tourism
Tourism thrives on unspoiled nature, attractive living spaces, and a functioning regional economy. Sustainable tourism development therefore considers not only climate and environmental protection, but also three interconnected dimensions:
Ecological sustainability encompasses, for example, energy and water management, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, mobility, the circular economy, and biodiversity.
Economic sustainability aims for long-term value creation in the region. This includes, among other things, local economic cycles, jobs, and collaboration with regional businesses.
Social sustainability concerns the people who live, work, and vacation here. This includes, for example, quality of life, working conditions, participation, and the accessibility of tourist offerings.
These three dimensions also form the framework of the Swiss sustainability program Swisstainable, in which Davos Klosters participates at various levels.
Swisstainable: developing further together
Davos has been classified as a Swisstainable Destination Level II – engaged since 2026. The Davos Destinations organization has been a Swisstainable Level II – engaged business at the operational level since 2024. This classification signifies a proven commitment to sustainability with recognized evidence, concrete measures, and continuous improvement.
The next step concerns Klosters: Under the initiative "Klosters goes Swisstainable," work is underway to create the conditions for similar recognition there. The goal is to gradually embed the sustainability program throughout the entire Davos Klosters destination. The Davos Destinations organization also covers the participation fees for the Swisstainable program for local businesses.
Davos Climate Fund: Investing together in local measures
A key focus of ecological sustainability in Davos is the myclimate Davos Climate Fund. Its unique feature is its collaborative approach: the municipality of Davos, the destination management organization, the myclimate foundation, and local stakeholders from tourism, trade, and commerce work together within the framework of the fund.
The fund provides financial support to businesses and organizations for concrete environmental measures in the region. Eligible projects include those that measurably reduce CO₂ emissions and have not yet been implemented. The municipality of Davos provides funding annually; in addition, participating businesses, as well as their guests and customers, can generate funds for climate protection measures through the "Cause We Care" model.
Twenty-two projects have already been supported by the Climate Fund. These range from photovoltaics and energy efficiency to promoting public transport and reusable systems, as well as food waste reduction, regional production, and biodiversity measures.
The Climate Fund thus focuses its efforts where concrete changes are possible: at the local level, with businesses and projects.
Understanding climate impact: Scope 1, 2 and 3
Anyone who wants to record and reduce greenhouse gas emissions must first know where they originate. Therefore, greenhouse gas inventories typically divide emissions into three areas – so-called scopes:
Scope 1 includes direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, such as an in-house heating system or vehicle fleet.
Scope 2 records indirect emissions from purchased energy, particularly electricity and heat.
Scope 3 includes further indirect emissions along the upstream and downstream value chain. In tourism, for example, these are emissions from purchased goods and services or the mobility of guests.
This distinction helps to systematically record emission sources and to implement measures where they can have an impact.
Sustainability also means participation
Sustainable tourism development has a social dimension in addition to its ecological and economic aspects. One example of this is the accessibility of tourist offerings.
In Klosters, the Madrisa resort has adapted its infrastructure and various services to the needs of people with disabilities. This issue is also evident at the destination level: Switzerland Tourism lists Davos Klosters among the holiday resorts where barrier-free travel is particularly well-suited. Furthermore, accessibility information is made available through platforms and initiatives such as OK:GO and ginto.
Thus, sustainability is not only measured by how energy and natural resources are managed, but also by how tourist experiences are made accessible to as many people as possible.
