Focus on the VESTAS number 6: German Blue Swallow

German Blue Swallow is one of the first European certification agencies to join with the VESTAS and nominate its chosen members for a 2011 VESTA award

In this sixth focus on the VESTAS: Vision European Sustainable Tourism Awards Blaue Schwalbe – Verträglich Reisen introduces itself and its aims

The first VESTA winners will be announced at ITB Berlin in 2011 at the Responsible Tourism Networking event on Friday 11 March.

With some days to go 21 of the approximately 30 eligible certification agencies have now partnered with the VESTA awards.

Regine Gwinner of Blaue Schwalbe talks to Valere Tjolle of Vision on Sustainable Tourism:

Valere Tjolle:  Could you give me the full name of your certification and its history
(when did it start? Who are the guiding team and what do they do?)

Regine Gwinner: The full name of the certification is Blaue Schwalbe – Verträglich Reisen This certification exists since 1990. In 2007 we created an additional certificate, "Blaue Schwalbe mobil", which is awarded to organisations   who actively support their clients in all questions concerning  sustainable mobility.

VT: What organisations are certified?
RG: Accomodations only

VT: Where are they?
RG: In all parts of Europe which can be reached by public transport.

VT: and what are they certified for?
RG: Providing an ecological life-style to their clients including use of  resources, mobility, gardening, use of regional products, regional,  vegetarian and/or organic cooking…

VT:  In your view, what has your and other certification programmes  achieved so far and what have they failed to achieve?
RG: The certification programmes have created – at least in Germany – an  awareness of the problems created by tourism. Besides the conventional travel programmes they offer high quality accomodations and give people with an ecological life-style the possibility to enjoy this life-style during their holidays. The certification programmes prove also that hotels can be run economically on an ecological basis.

But Verträglich Reisen is not only a certification programme. We give the – often small – accomodations we certify the opportunity to promote their offers on the German market and find an interesting  clientele. And we bring all the information together you need for a sustainable holiday – how to organize your trip by train or bus, which  destinations are the most sustainable, which accomodations are the best and what you can do during your stay.

VT:  Which best practices have you nominated for the VESTAS and why?
RG: We decided to nominate three of our new partners for the VESTAS to make them better known. All three are of high ecological standards and good examples of what is important to us: high commitment of the owners of the accomodation, a certain style, interesting surroundings  – in short: places which are easy to promote and were yourself would like to spend your holiday.

VT:  If you had one wish – what should happen in 2011 to support your certification programme in making tourism more sustainable?
RG: Our programme has a strong focus on sustainable mobility because the biggest part of the energy used during a holiday is spent on transport. The flight problems caused by the vulcano and the pilot strikes in 2010 brought a lot of attention to our programme. My wish would be that we don’t need catastrophes or strikes to bring more attention to our mobility information platform.

Further information on the VESTAS: destinet.eu/tools/voluntary_instruments/fol703514/fol588962/travelmoledestinet-sustainable-tourism-awards/

Valere Tjolle is editor of the Sustainable Tourism Report Suite – latest special offers:

Sustainable Tourism Ministers Briefing Special Offer: www.travelmole.com/stories/1146076.php

Sustainable Tourism double masterclass: www.travelmole.com/stories/1146006.php