Country: Austria

Organization: Biolandhaus Arche

Year the initiative began: 1985

Project Website: www.bio.arche.hotel.at

Positioning in the Mosaic of solutions:

• Main barrier addressed: Lack of local input
• Main insight addressed: Market authenticity

What is the goal of your innovation?
To give a region identity - what you need for living is to initiate concernment - you live in a region with history and future, to give the living people values - it is worth

How does your approach support or embody geotourism?
We have been one of the first Hotels in Europe, starting with an eco-conept and it has been rigorously implemented and improved. The eco-concept is mainly based on high quality in biological food.

Describe your approach in detial. How is it innovative?
Furthermore Biolandhaus is actively involved in the protection and preservation of natural trails and springwater. b. Educational and interpretation features for hotel guests: hotel-library informs about ecological behaviour, flora and fauna and tradition and culture of the region; seminars on acupressure, dietary habits, meditation and more. for local community: Biolandhaus Arche actively supports the Eberstein Volksliedhaus (folk songhouse) in order to keep the traditional singing alive. As member of the regional association Norisch Region, Biolandhaus Arche is actively involved in the preservation of cultural and natural heritage by applying specific programmes (eg. LEADER+). c. Environmental practices in the development and operation of ecotourism facilities, establishments and services As holder of the Austrian Eco-label for Tourism Biolandhaus Arche fulfils the following mandatory criteria of environment protection: - energy management Use of thermo-electric heating (1 wood-burning stove and 2 tiled stoves: efficiency: 90 %; as well as solar heating (20 m²)); insulation of hot-water pipes; no domestic fuel - sewage management hotel-owned biological sewage-plant; avoidance of any chemicals (formaldehyde-free) - mobility at destination promotion of public transport, rent of bicycles, horse-riding, free shuttle-service between hotel and the local station - waste recycling and disposal motto: avoidance instead of disposal; primarily recycled products; no non-returnable-bottles and canned drinks - F&B-sector/cooking use of Bio-Ernte products of lo

What types of partnerships or professional developement would be most beneficial in spearding your innovation?
Biolandhaus Arche was a pioneer in this field and on its model the regional association “Norische Wirte (norische innkeepers) was founded in 1992. Biolandhaus Arche was also co-partner in the foundat on of the European Biohotels. In addition, Biolandhaus Arche strongly supports the Carinthian cattle-breeding association, aiming at the protection of local cattle from extinction.

In one sentence describe what kind of impact, change, or reform your approach is intended to achieve.
Making together a world it is worth to live here in our region

Describe the degree of success of your approach to date. Clearly define how you measure quantitative and qualitative impact in terms of how your approach contributes to the sustainability or enhancement of local culture, environment, heritage, or aesthetics? How does your approach minimize negative impacts?
Now we have 25 communities in our region, working together, and about 60 Biohotels in Europe, we have improved the celtic heritage with celtic places and gardens, we make special holiday offers, we call us the Noric Region, from the formar celtic settlement, we have agriculture with these old cattles Blondvieh, or Schnaps from old fruits

How does your program promote traveler enthusiasm, satisfaction, and engagement with the locale?
We tell them, we still have time for your - the can take part by cultural events - Carinthia is famous for singing

In what ways are local residents actively involved in your innovation, including participation and community input? How has the community responded to or benefited from your approach?
We have local associations with all of them tourismus, agricultuere, burgermeisters, art and so on

Describe how your innovation helps travelers and local residents better understand the value of the area's cultural and natural heritage, and educates them on local environmental issues. How do you motivate them to act responsibly in their future travel decisions?
we give benefits coming by train, we work in the forest with them showing what it means working and living here, to send them back after holidays with a new mind for ecology

Is your initiative financially and organizationally sustainable? If not, what is required to make it so? What is the potential demand for your innovation?
Well since 1985 we have 300 % raised our turnover

How is your initiative currently financed? If available, provide information on your finances and organization that could help others. Please list: Annual budget, annual revenue generated, size of part-time, full-time and volunteer staff.
mostly by myself but also over LEADER

What is your plan to expand your approach? Please indicate where/how you would like to grow or enhance your innovation, or have others do so.
Well now we have to find a new motivation, a new goal, fighting against globalization, coming down and back again, we became better, but we are not God, so a part of the locals is now not anymore living here, but we starting with systems where also the smallest will find his benefit

What are the main barriers you encounter in managing, implementing, or replicating your innovation? What barriers keep your program from having greater impact?
Well the lake of enthusiasm, it becomes more and more complicated to get people working with you, and we have less money in the communties

What is the origin of your innovation? Tell your story.
Biolandhaus ARCHE 1st Biohotel of Carinthia 1st Ecotourism-Hotel in Austria Awards: 1st Prize Envirotour 1993 Austrian Ecolabel for Tourism Green Cap (food award) Member of: Bio-Ernte Austrian Biohotels www.biohotels.info Norische Region www.norischeregion.at

Please provide a personal bio. Note this may be used in Changemakers' marketing material.
Ilmar Tessmann 26.11.1969, hotelier, tourism manager, man with his own head

Please write an overview of your project. This text will appear when people scroll over the icon for your entry on the Google map located on teh competition homepage.
AUSTRIA OUTLINE FOR THE PRESENTATION OF CASE STUDIES FOR THE NEW WTO PUBLICATION: “COMPILATION OF GOOD PRACTICES IN SMALL ECOTOURISM BUSINESSES” 1. Name of the business/company/project Biolandhaus ARCHE 1st Biohotel of Carinthia 1st Ecotourism-Hotel in Austria Awards: 1st Prize Envirotour 1993 Austrian Ecolabel for Tourism Green Cap (food award) Member of: Bio-Ernte Austrian Biohotels ? www.biohotels.info Norische Region ? www.norischeregion.at 2. Location of the business/company/project Eberstein, Carinthia, Austria located at an altitude of 930 m on the sunny side of Saualpe 3. Responsible organisation (s) and contact person Mr. Ilmar Tessmann jun. Vollwertweg 1a A-9372 Eberstein/St. Oswald Tel/Fax: +43/4264/8120 e-mail: bio.arche@hotel.at www.bio.arche.hotel.at 4. Description Biolandhaus Arche is a family-run hotel which started its business in 1985 with 2 beds only. Today Biolandhaus Arche provides 30 beds in total. Employees: 3 (plus 3 family-members) Languages spoken: German, English, French, Russian, Slovenian and Czech Characteristics/services offered: - Bio-Ernte products - apartments built of loam/mud - wellness products - alpine hut – places of forces - lama-trekking - sports: horse-riding, hiking, cave-hiking - special offers for children 5. Business/company/project initiation and its author/s The eco-concept was developed in 1990 and since the has been rigorously implemented and improved. The eco-concept is mainly based on high quality in biological food. Biolandhaus Arche was a pioneer in this field and on its model the regional association “Norische Wirte (norische innkeepers) was founded in 1992. Biolandhaus Arche was also co-partner in the foundation of the European Biohotels. 6. Finance and funding Sources of funding: Public grants (federal and provincial level), private loans equity capital: about 80 % 7. Environmental sustainability of the ecotourism project/business a. Contribution to the conservation of natural areas

Contact Information
Touristikkaufmann Ilmar Tessmann
Manager
Biolandhaus Arche
bio.arche@hotel.at
bio.arche@hotel.at