What is Sustainable Travel? A Graz, Austria, Case Study

Sustainability and sustainable tourism have recently become a hot topic in the travel industry. However, as a traveller, it can often be a confusing term, and making sustainable choices while travelling can be challenging.

In this article I have tried to explain as thoroughly as possible what sustainability and sustainable travel are. Including official definitions and practical examples based on my experience in Graz, Austria.

I recently had the opportunity to spend five days in Graz and learn about its approach to sustainability, especially when it comes to food.

It was an amazing experience, and I can confidently say that Graz is the perfect case study to outline what sustainable travel is.

So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive in, and discover everything you’ve been wondering about Graz and sustainability!

Definition of Sustainable Tourism

In the world we currently live in, sustainability and sustainable travel have become more important than ever.

Given there are many nuances and themes to the wider “sustainability” bucket, it’s important to understand what we actually mean by sustainability.

In 1987, the United Nations Brundtland Commission defined sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

In the travel sphere, this overarching sustainability concept has been adapted to the ideas of responsible travel, sustainable travel, eco-tourism and slow travel. 

Even though they all have different specific definitions, one thing that all conscious travellers can confirm, is that the overarching message of these types of sustainable travel is to be better travellers.

To think more about the impact that our choices and actions as travellers have on local communities, the local environment, and future travellers. And not only to think about it, but to make conscious choices to do better.

According to the UNWTO, the textbook definition of Sustainable Tourism is “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities”.

As travellers we have to make more conscious choices to ensure we travel sustainably.

But if the destinations we travel to don’t have the infrastructure and services in place to make more sustainable choices, it can be challenging.

Graz, in Austria, is a great example of a sustainable destination. Keep reading to discover why.

Examples of sustainable tourism in Graz

When thinking of specific examples or types of sustainable tourism, I find that most travellers often associate it to experiences or situations in developing countries. 

For example ethical animal encounters like Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, or joining hiking tours run by ethnic minorities like the H’mong people in Sapa, Vietnam.

While these are great examples of sustainable tourism practices, you will find lots of amazing initiatives taking place also in Europe, and more specifically in Graz, Austria.

I recently had the opportunity to visit Graz, Austria’s greenest and second largest city, and to learn about its efforts towards sustainability and sustainable travel.

The Refill Graz initiative

This might seem like the most simple initiative they have in place, and that’s also why it’s my favourite.

As someone who drinks a lot of water, I love it when destinations give you the opportunity to refill your water bottle, and not have to purchase single use plastic ones everywhere you go.

In Graz, tap water is drinkable and free, and the city gives you easy access to this water. Dotted all over Graz you will find free freshwater fountains where you can refill your water bottle.

There are also many shops, cafes, bars and offices that participate in the “Refill Graz” campaign.

These shops will have a round blue sticker on their door that says “Refill Graz”. If you see this sign, you can simply walk in and ask them to refill your water bottle, and they will do so for free.

It may seem simple, but this initiative saves money for single users, it reduces the production and consumption of single-use plastic bottles, and helps protect our environment.

So when you’re out and about in Graz, don’t forget to bring a refillable water bottle with you!

Strong focus on local food experiences

Graz is known as Austria’s Capital of Delight, and it’s easy to see why. In Graz you will find a huge variety of restaurants, all of them delicious.

And the great thing about dining in Graz isn’t just the taste, but the strong focus on sustainability that many restaurants have.

In Graz you will find restaurants serving both traditional Styrian recipes and ethnic cuisines, sometimes whipped together creatively, but both focusing on exalting local and regional products.

For example in the restaurant Die Speis am Lendhafen, which overlooks the beautiful church Mariahilferkirche, 2/3s of the ingredients of they cook are sourced within 50km of Graz, or at most from within Austria.

Another great sustainable restaurant in Graz is Gut Schlossberg, a recently opened restaurants at the foot of Schlossberg Hill.

The top floor of this restaurant serves delicious local Styrian recipes like chanterelle mushroom goulash, while the bottom floor sells local food products of small local farmers.

At Aiola Upstairs, a fancy restaurant located on the top of Schlossberg Hill, you can try taste in-season dishes like chicken with chanterelle mushrooms, while taking in the beautiful views over the rooftops of Graz.

One of the best restaurants in Graz is Gasthaus Glöcklbräu. Dating back to 1860, this local brewery has a beautiful outdoor beer garden, as well as a spacious interior. 

Here you will find traditional Styrian dishes like schnitzel and goulash, prepared with local and seasonal ingredients.

Energieschiff Mochart is another place we ate at that focuses on fresh and local ingredients, as well as sustainability and renewable energy.

This café is actually part of a sustainable energy enterprise, and is shaped like a ship to symbolise the transition into a new era of energy and technology. 

Going beyond Graz, we had the pleasure of eating at Buschenschank Dokter. This is a type of Austrian tavern where winemakers can serve their wine along cold food.

At a Buscenschank you will often eat things like local cheeses, hams, salami, spreads and bread, all accompanied with wine produced onsite at the tavern. Talk about farm-to-table food production!

I loved seeing the focus that Graz has on sustainable food experiences, on valorising local food products, seasonal dishes and traditional recipes.

In an increasingly globalised world, it’s great to visit a destination and know that what you’re eating hasn’t travelled half way across the world to reach your table, and that it’s prepared following a recipe traditional to that area.

Opportunities for local producers

One of my favourite places that we visited in Graz is the store s’Fachl. Located in the centre of Graz, this shop rents wooden crates (fachl in German) to small local producers to display and sell their products.

It’s a great initiative as it allows local producers to sell their products in Graz, without having to incur the expense and logistical hassle of opening their own shop.

And it’s great for consumers as it allows you to purchase genuine local products.

They sell both local food delicacies like pumpkin oil and bug beans, as well as handmade objects like jewellery and kitchen utensils.

It’s the perfect place to purchase a unique Graz souvenir, while also knowing you’re spending locally and sustainably.

Vast network of local farmers

The opportunities for local producers aren’t limited to selling through shops like s’Fachl. The city perimeter of Graz is home to over 300 urban farmers, who prefer to sell their produce close to home.

As such, Graz has the most market days in all of Europe! While they tend to be bigger on weekends, on any day of the week you can find local farmers markets in Graz.

We visited the farmers market in Kaiser Josef-Platz on a Tuesday morning, and it was buzzing with activity. With the iconic backdrop of the Graz Opera House, this farmers market is the biggest and oldest one in Graz.

Here you will fruits, vegetables, cheeses, meats and all sorts of local produce on sale from the early hours of the morning.

The majority of what you purchase here is organic, seasonal and produced locally. This is an important element of sustainability, as it reduces the carbon footprint of the food that people consume, locals and travellers alike.

Strong cycling culture

As a non-driver, I love it when cities make it easy to discover them without a car. In Graz you will find 130km of bicycle lanes and paths, which allow locals to make 20% of all trips in the city by bike.

As a tourist, I love discovering cities by bike. It allows you to see much more of the city than you would on foot or with public transport, with more flexibility and freedom.

And when there are actual cycling lanes to follow, as opposed to arguing with cars or pedestrians, it’s even better!

Besides being a great way to get around for tourists, lots of cycling lanes are obviously also good for the environment. This because they reduce the use of cars, which in turn reduces traffic and reduces pollution in the city. 

Great public transport

Besides the vast cycling network, Graz also has a very good public transport system (another thing I love as a non-driver!)

There are buses and trams in Graz that will get you pretty much anywhere around the city, for a very affordable price tag. The hourly ticket costs 3 EUR, or 6.40 EUR for the 24-hour ticket.

There is also a free tram called “Altstadtbim” (or Graz Old Town tram), which covers seven different tram lines and destinations in central Graz. This tram is completely free, you just hop on and hop off wherever you want!

Respect for local identity & traditions

When a destination becomes popular, it often falls victim to the dangers of over tourism. In an increasingly global world, loss of local identity and traditions are one of the biggest risks that destinations face.

I was very pleased to see that in Graz, local traditions are strong, and there is a strong respect for them. It shows through the local cuisine, but also through local traditions like the breeding and training of Lipizzaner horses.

Less than an hour away from Graz, you will find the beautiful Stud Farm at Piber Castle. A this historical Stud Farm you can meet these unique horses, and learn all about their breeding and training.

I was amazed to discover that they still follow traditional training practices with the horses, and can even trace each individual horses pedigree to avoid in-breeding!

This tradition is actually part of the UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The main training purpose at Piber Castle is to train them for the Spanish Riding School of Vienna.

Final thoughts on Sustainability in Graz, Austria

There you have it, the ultimate Graz sustainable travel guide! Have you been to Graz before? How did you find it? Let me know in the comments below!

I hope you now have a clearer understanding about what sustainability and sustainable travel are.

At its core, the main concept is to avoid any negative social, economic and environmental impact on the local communities and environment, both for the short and long term.

Destinations like Graz do a great job of promoting sustainability.

Through apparently simple campaigns like Refill Graz, or pushing for a more farm-to-table food supply, and enhancing cycling lanes and public transport, Graz is at the forefront of sustainability in Europe.

Sustainability is important, and it’s great to see destinations taking it seriously, and not just as a marketing buzzword. When it comes to understanding sustainable travel, Graz provides lots of actionable examples to follow.

I hope you found my sustainability explanation and case study useful. If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments below!

This post was brought to you as a result of the Graz Travel Deeper blog trip in partnership with Graz Tourism. Greta’s Travels maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site. 

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