Go Sustainable: A Journey Through Switzerland
In partnership with Switzerland Convention & Incentives Bureau, Zurich Convention Bureau, Lucerne Tourismus AG, TGV Lyria, Eurostar, Evolve, and Travel Switzerland, Project Executive Trinity Stillwell went on a journey of discovery and sustainability through Switzerland to reframe MICE events in this region.
The Journey: Sustainable Travel at Its Finest
Our sustainable adventure began at London St Pancras, where we boarded the Eurostar to Paris. We were greeted with champagne and a cooked breakfast in our private 'Go Sustainable' branded carriage – setting the tone for what would be an unforgettable experience.
After a smooth transfer between Paris stations in a spacious Metropolis, we continued our journey on the TGV Lyria to Switzerland. The spacious train offered hot food and bubbles, all echoing our 'Go Sustainable' theme.
The final leg of our journey took us from Switzerland to Lucerne on the historic Red Arrow train. This completely private setting offered drinks and canapés while providing breathtaking mountain views. The driver even allowed us to ride shotgun when we weren't hanging out the windows capturing the spectacular scenery!
Did you know? By taking trains to Switzerland instead of flying, we reduced our carbon emissions by 96%. That's approximately 4kg of CO2 compared to 176kg had we flown – the equivalent of lighting the Eiffel Tower for just one hour versus two whole days!
Lucerne: Where History Meets Sustainability
Neubad: Culture in a Repurposed Pool
Our first stop in Lucerne was Neubad, a cultural and arts events space housed in what was once Lucerne's swimming pool from the early 60s. Now repurposed to host numerous arts, culture, and corporate events, the unique shape and depth of the pool creates perfect tiered seating with a natural stage. In-house culinary experiences are also available. Learn more about Neubad
Continental Park: Supporting Local Communities
Our first night's accommodation was at Continental Park, a hotel that supports local businesses by purchasing cheese and milk from an alpine farm they helped rebuild and expand in 2018. Though tap water is chargeable, 100% of the income from these sales goes directly to WfW's projects in Africa. Read Continental Park's sustainability story
Historic Lucerne
We toured Lucerne's old town, visiting the water towers erected between 1290-1300 and the famous Chapel Bridge – the most photographed destination in Lucerne. This timber bridge holds significant heritage with paintings by Renward Cysat from 1611. After a tragic fire in 1993 destroyed much of the bridge and many paintings, they decided to preserve the charred wood and keep only the original paintings that survived, believing "the bridge was nothing without the pictures and the pictures were nothing without the bridge."
We also explored Lake Lucerne, the Jesuit Church, and the painted architecture with Austrian influences dating back 350 years. A stop at the Mandarin Oriental showcased their luxury event spaces, bedrooms, and dining areas – all plastic-free and using only water from the lake!
Rigi Mountains: Sustainable Transportation
Our journey up the Rigi mountains via cogwheel train was breathtaking. Rigi Bahnen was the first mountain railway in Europe and is now fully electric – once again leading the industry in sustainable conversion. Whilst in the mountains, we sampled local Kirschen and chocolates.
Zurich: Innovation and Tradition
25hours West: Sustainability in Practice
In Zurich, we stayed at the incredible 25hours West, where we participated in a 'Taste the Waste' workshop utilising food waste from a supplier across the street, learning how to transform unwanted fruits and vegetables into delicious meals.
25hours embodies 'good and green' principles through numerous initiatives: all their hotels have achieved Green Key Certifications, they support over 10 global programmes including the 'One Wash' programme in Uganda, 'Sea rescues' in Hamburg, and UNICEF. Internally, they focus on zero food waste, no air conditioning in rooms, providing one pillow to reduce washing, and performing room cleaning only upon request. Explore 25hours' sustainability commitment
Elmira: Redefining Vegetarian Dining
Dinner at Elmira, a Michelin Star fine dining restaurant, offered vegetables as a completely new experience! The food was so delicious that we didn't want it to end. They believe in simple ingredients served with warmth and care, celebrating taste as an experience. Visit Elmira's website
Zunfthaus: Historic Venue with Modern Appeal
We concluded our trip with an unforgettable night at the historic Zunfthaus, the Social Guild and former drinking house from 1348 (Haus Zum Ruden), which still values upholding its traditions. This venue, although deeply rooted in history, also has a modern and metropolitan feel throughout, representing Zurich as a whole. 40 of us comfortably dined in the first-floor Gothic hall, famous for its original walls and ceilings from the 1300s, enjoying a first-class dining experience overlooking the Limmat River. Explore Haus Zum Ruden
To fully immerse ourselves in Swiss culture, we enjoyed a culinary experience of vegetarian Swiss dishes while the wonderful instrumental band, Bendliker Musig, played traditional Swiss music.
Key Takeaways:
Throughout this trip, we committed to a fully vegetarian diet, with all catering being meat-free. As a meat lover, it was eye-opening to see how easy and delicious it can be to make this simple swap.
Did you know? Having just one vegetarian day per week (52 days a year) can save nearly 100kg of CO2 per year, whilst one vegetarian week per month (12 weeks a year) can save nearly 153kg of CO2 annually!
Taking the train not only saved on emissions but also gave us a chance to network, socialise, and connect with peers before even arriving at our destination. Friendships were formed before we even touched Swiss soil.
Overall, this fully sustainable trip highlighted how an event can not only be environmentally responsible but also benefit communities not directly involved – all without compromising on the experience.
Switzerland stands as a luxury travel destination attracting visitors from around the world whilst consistently ranking in the top 5 in the International Sustainability Assessment by World.Org. This proves that luxury and sustainability can indeed go hand-in-hand.
Using EventDecision to measure our entire journey – from our homes to the mountain tops in Rigi to the chefs at Elmira – the entire trip scored "Distinction," the highest grade possible on the ESG Report. We are proud to be part of an industry pioneering best practices for sustainable travel and events, and we're confident these practices can spread across industries.
Want to learn more about organising sustainable events in Switzerland?
Contact our team today hello@powwowevents.co.uk