EGTC Alpine Pearls

The Alpine Pearls initiative, established in 2006 and operating as an EGTC since 2022, covers four countries in the Alps (Austria, Germany, Italy, and Slovenia) and brings together 18 members (municipalities). The aim of the cooperation is to create an integrated, multi-country tourism management system that actively contributes to the development of the local economy and the creation of environmentally friendly transport. The Alpine Pearl label can only be awarded to destinations that are committed to sustainable development and tourism (reducing CO2 emissions, developing environmentally friendly tourism products and modes of transport) and have signed a joint agreement (Alpine Convention). Members also cooperate with external local actors (e.g. tourism organizations, transport companies, local actors, etc.) to organize car-free excursions and promote nature conservation.

The organization’s joint website provides a map database with an overview of members and potential destinations. Interested parties can read a text description of each member participating in the initiative and view the locations’ own tourism websites via a link. The presentation of the Alpine Pearl locations includes accessibility information and options for car-free transport. Visitors can also find out about participating restaurants and their services, such as transfers, guided tours, shuttle services, bike rentals, discounted admission tickets, and public transportation tickets. The platform also includes suggestions for places to visit, activities, and local specialties.

The system also lists accommodation providers committed to sustainable tourism on a separate page, where visitors can select the accommodation they like best after filtering by area. This is complemented by a list of excursion destinations presented in blog form.

The system also offers the possibility to purchase coupons and personalized gift vouchers. For visitors who do not have specific ideas, a trip planner has been created, which provides suggestions for spending the days of the trip in an enjoyable way.