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Going without a car: how do you make tourist transport more sustainable?

Peter BRANDAUER - Mayor of Werfenweng, Tyrol (Austria)

 

Werfenweng mobile +

Pilot community for soft mobility

Experience soft mobility and take a holiday…

 

Quick introduction

45 km south of Salzburg, on a high plateau of the Tennen massif (1,000 m in altitude), Werfenweng has 820 inhabitants and an accommodation capacity of 1,800 beds. This represents 36,000 arrivals and 212,000 overnight stays every year. Werfenweng is a community that, for 10 years, has been implementing measures in favour of soft mobility.
Werfenweng is a partner community to the Austrian pilot project “soft mobility —tourism without cars”, and is also taking part in the European projects Alps Mobility,Alpine Awareness, and Mobil Alp.

Werfenweng is a member of the “economic interest group for soft tourism over the tourist and cure sites of Austria”.

We have one of the biggest photovoltaic installations in Austria, as well as a solar service station for our electric vehicles.

The pilot project “soft tourism—tourism without cars”

A pilot project oriented towards the future of the environment, of tourism, and mobility.
Project supporters:

• Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management;
• Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation, and Technology;
• Austrian Federal Ministry of Economics and Labour;
• Regional government of Salzburg;
• Pilot community of Werfenweng;
• Supported by the European Union.

Objectives of the project

• Enhanced environmental quality and quality of life for the local population and visitors
• Environmentally friendly mobility and changes in the travel habits of the local population and visitors
• Tenable tourism having value as an example in Austria and abroad
• Large-scale application of environmentally friendly technologies

European Alps Mobility II project

Werfenweng is one of the “Alpine pearls” (7,1 Mo) alongside other famous specialised tourist destinations in Austria, Germany, Italy, France, and Switzerland.

European Alpine Awareness project

Werfenweng is taking part in a public awareness project focusing on the issue of soft mobility.

European MOBILALP project

Collaboration with other regions and other tourist destinations in Europe must enable the creation of a network dedicated to “mobility management”.

Our current “soft mobility” offering:

• Arrival by train
• The Werfenweng Shuttle

The Bischofshofen rail station is located 12 km from Werfenweng; as a result, we have created a service—highly valued—of taxis on request, the Werfenweng Shuttle.

• Electric and leisure vehicles

Our village square, off limits to automobile traffic and equipped with a solar service station, is the centre of soft mobility in Werfenweng: a wide range of electric vehicles (electric carts, two-wheeled vehicles, tricycles for one or more people, etc.) is made available to the public, who don’t hold back!

Our current “soft mobility” offering:

• Elois, the driver

The entire fleet of electric vehicles, the Shuttle, and a taxi service with driver is made available to visitors travelling without cars.

• Lodging and soft mobility

The Urlaub vom Auto (“holiday from cars”) bundle unites 30 institutions: visitors who choose these hotels enjoy all the advantages that Werfenweng has to offer in the way of soft mobility.

• What are these advantages?

Horse-drawn carriages and sleighs, gear for cross-country skiing, and more…

Change in the number of overnight stays

in Werfenweng

SAMO = designates the businesses offering soft mobility services, as well as the services themselves.		The Werfenweng Shuttle: a successful initiative!

For several years, we have been able to prove a strong growth, in terms of value creation and number of overnight stays.

Our success proves us right!

What advantages for the local population

The Werfenweng Shuttle Taxi service on request—a very attractive public transport service.   Night service The Werfenwenger Nachttaxi (night taxis) is a highly valued service, especially by young people, who wouldn’t dream of doing without it.
Employment New jobs have been created in relation to managing soft mobility and vehicle rental facilities.
Gains in image The residents of Werfenweng are proud to be cited as an example.
Collaboration The Urlaub vom Auto ( “holiday from cars”) bundle has given rise to deep cooperation, which reinforces solidarity.

We have already received several prizes…

…and we are considered a model ecological tourist destination:

• Climate Alliance prize, 1st place, 1997
• Zipfer environmental prize, winner for Salzburger Land, 1997
• Salzburger Land regional competition, special environment and energy prize, 1998
• Zipfer environmental prize, top prize 2002
• Village revival prize, awarded by the EU, 2002
• Best Practices Mobility Management Prize, awarded by the OECD, passenger transport, 2002
• Climate Star, 2002
• European prize for public transport, 2003
• “Mobility” prize from the Verkehrsclub Österreich, 3rd place, 2003
• Elected “Municipality of the Future” by the Alliance in the Alps, 2003
• Austrian Solar prize, awarded by the Solar Agency, 2003
• European Solar prize, awarded by the Solar Agency, 2003
• Elected as the municipality most favourable to the disabled in 2004
• Environmental prize from the Ford Foundation, 2004
• “Energizing regions of the future” competition
• Innovative holiday trips by train prize, mountains category, “NETS”, 2005
• “Future in the Alps” competition, CIPRA, first prize, 2005

Werfenweng’s credo: relaxation

Arriving by train…or by car…but then… put away the key to the vehicle and offer him “a well deserved holiday”.

A stay in Werfenweng is a plunge into a world of soft mobility:

Released from the stress and haste of everyday life, visitors discover the green surroundings of Werfenweng, the renovated village centre and its solar service station, many “alternative” means of transportation (bikes, various electric vehicles, carriages, etc.), the country store and its regional specialities, and many other leisure activity attractions, which are often lacking in other regions.

With its tourism offer based on the principle of “sustainability”, Werfenweng is known in Austria and abroad as:

“the secret formula for a successful family vacation”

Our projects for tomorrow:

We wish to become THE train-accessible holiday site in Europe!

Which means: furthering our profile and our tourism strategy in the direction of “soft mobility—a respite from cars”.

A few guiding elements for the future:

• putting electric and hybrid vehicles on the road for use by visitors, the local population, and the local economy;
• creation of innovative local transport systems;
• expansion of the fleet of electric leisure vehicles;
• development of a network of hiking and cycling trails;
• increased use of carriages;
• increased use of solar energy;
• implementation of additional measures to slow traffic;

and more…

Other concrete projects

• Expansion of the Urlaub vom Auto (“holiday from cars”) bundle
• Quality assurance and continuing education measures for service providers in this bundle
• Elaboration of a detailed preliminary plan in order to make and implement a network of cycling paths
• Development of a third SAMO product, some elements of which will have a tri-national dimension through the “Alpine Pearls” (7,1 Mo) project
• Public relations-promotion to the German car-sharing organizations’ target audience
• Soft mobility rest areas

and more…

Joins us…

…use the train from anywhere in Europe

Make yourself comfortable! Take a seat and relax, because now you are on your way to Werfenweng. On the train you can travel in comfort and, as a result, spare your nerves. We are at your service to put together a personalised route plan and we will recommend the best connections. Our partner, the mobility office (travel and consulting agency) Mobilito, will gladly attend to your train tickets: www.mobilito.at, tel: +43 (646) 233 030.

Upon your arrival in Bischofshofen, you will of course be greeted by our Shuttle, which will take you in a “soft and mobile” way to Werfenweng.

You are cordially invited to discover the pearl of Werfenweng!

Community of Werfenweng, Tourist Bureau: Gemeinde Werfenweng, Tourismusverband Bürgermeister: Dr. Peter Brandauer Weng 42 5453 Werfenweng Salzburger Land, Österreich Tel: +43 (664) 213 6867 Email: bgm-werfenweng@salzburg.at www.werfenweng.org Project management Werfenweng Mobil + Karmen Mentil ÖAR Regionalberatung mentil@oear.co.at www.oear.at