Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and Switzerland Tourism, the Swiss national tourism promotion organization, are expanding their existing collaboration into the sustainability field.
From 2023 onwards, Switzerland Tourism will reduce by half the carbon dioxide emissions generated by its employees’ business and duty air travel by purchasing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and will compensate for the remaining emissions by investing in high-quality climate protection projects via the myclimate foundation. Switzerland Tourism will be the first tourism organization in Switzerland to use SAF to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and promote carbon-neutral air travel in this way.
“Switzerland Tourism and SWISS both carry the Swiss cross out into the world,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “And I’m delighted that we’re now teaming up on the sustainability front, too. In adopting this forward-looking approach, Switzerland Tourism is taking on a pioneering role. And we will keep striving to convince further organizations of the rightness and the benefits of sustainable air travel.”
“Sustainability begins at home,” adds Switzerland Tourism CEO Martin Nydegger. “Having seen the entire tourism sector respond so favourably to our ‘Swisstainable’ initiative and sign up for it in their thousands, it’s clear to us that we must make our own contribution, too, together with our partner SWISS, by ensuring that our people’s air travel is performed with SAF and its carbon impact is further offset through appropriate investments.”
SWISS is committed to scaling SAF
The current generation of SAF reduces carbon emissions by up to 80 percent compared to traditional jet fuel. The next generation, which will be produced using solar energy, is likely to allow almost completely carbon-neutral air travel. Through participation in research and pilot projects, and by establishing SAF alliances, SWISS and the Lufthansa Group are committed to the development and scaling of sustainable aviation fuels. Together with their private and business customers, who are now offered the opportunity to reduce the carbon emissions of their air travel by paying an SAF surcharge at the time of booking, substantial demand signals are being set and further impetus is provided to develop production and related technologies.
