The destination strategy 2021 to 2024 served as a basis to create the Gstaad destination council (Destinationsrat). Last November, it met for the first time. But what is the Gstaad destination council, and what purpose does it serve?

“The destination council is not a new association, it has no budget, and it does not compete with existing structures,” says Richard Müller. He is a member of the Gstaad Saanenland Tourism (GST) board and helped create the widely respected destination strategy. Part of the strategy is the Gstaad destination council. This idea was inspired by the think tank, which took place several times under tourism director Martin Bachofner and brought together the most important key figures in the destination at that time.

The Gstaad destination council has the function of a round table that brings together all the partners within the destination at least twice a year. The partners include all organisations, municipalities and service providers who have signed the destination strategy. The destination council has set itself the task of promoting the development of the destination strategy, as well as reviewing its progress and the optimal use of human and financial resources.

Constitutive meeting
The first meeting took place at the end of November. GST president, Oliver Waser, led the evening’s proceedings, as stipulated in the guidelines. The guidelines also stipulate that the meetings are to be prepared by the GST. The council was officially constituted at this meeting. Afterwards, the managing directors, board members and municipal representatives received information about projects such as the Horneggli tourism master plan, the Sparenmoos in Zweisimmen, the efforts to expand the season in autumn, the Glacier 3000 and the Lauenensee development area.

Interesting, informative, important
During the reception that followed, the participants rated the first meeting. The representatives from Gsteig, Lauenen, Saanen, Schönried and Zweisimmen were positive. The fact that the exchange took place across municipalities received particular attention.

Like many others, Beatrice Zeller, the president of Zweisimmen’s municipal council, likes that the new instrument can be used to pool resources. She appreciates the information about projects in other municipalities. Spotting similar problems might help sharing solutions and the joining of forces.

Another aspect Bernhard Tschannen, CEO of Glacier 3000, mentions is the exchange over various regions. The holistic information changes the perspective. “This helps us to think not only for our own company but for the destination as a whole.”

Being noticed
In the past years, some of the organisations had the feeling that they were not important enough to be noticed. This has changed with the round table. The village organisations or the municipality of Zweisimmen said that it was good and essential to sit at the same table with all the big players.

A statement by David Perreten, who represented the Saanenland Agricultural Association, aimed in the same direction. He pointed out that agriculture is only mentioned once in the destination strategy. “Agriculture wants to be better integrated, I think that’s good,” responded Jan Brand, project manager at GST, for example.

Satisfactory first meeting
“I am delighted with the result,” Oliver Waser summed up the evening. The great interest in the event showed the importance of the round table. The range of topics presented was impressive. But also the diversity of the projects and concerns. “They reflect how diverse the destination is and that it is precisely this fact that makes the destination so attractive.”

BASED ON AVS/BLANCA BURRI