VITALPIN Is Setting A New Course: For A Sustainable Economy In The Alps

The restart of Vitalpin was a success. The association, based in Innsbruck, advocates for the interests of the economy, especially tourism, in the Alpine region and has members from four countries and important tourism regions. At the well-attended general meeting, the new board was elected, which includes five Tyroleans, two South Tyroleans, one from Graubünden and one from Allgäu. The new chairman is Elmar Pichler Rolle from Bolzano, who outlined the future goals in his inaugural speech. A strategy paper was also put up for discussion.
Vitalpin is setting a new course

After the election, the new Vitalpin chairman explained that they wanted to pay more attention to the local population and needed to involve them in the projects more than before. “We have to be aware that we are a minority in the mountains and that the economic, political and media centers where decisions are made are on the plains and are therefore determined by the people there,” emphasizes Elmar Pichler Rolle. Vitalpin therefore wants to pool the experiences in the Alpine regions and be the mouthpiece for a sustainable economy. “We have to argue well prepared, act with facts and figures and do persuasion, because the majorities lie elsewhere,” continued Pichler Rolle.

During the general meeting, a strategy paper was also presented in which Vitalpin's role was clearly defined. The lobbying and political representation of the hotel and cable car industry will continue to be carried out exclusively by the specialist associations in the respective regions, and Vitalpin will not initiate its own research projects, for example. However, the association will also be involved in all current discussions in order to support companies operating in the mountain regions and to strengthen understanding of their tasks and activities. “The main thing is that we want to continue to guarantee local residents good jobs and training positions and thus a good future and thereby at least cushion the migration to cities and metropolitan areas,” said Pichler Rolle.

In October, the new board will finally define the strategy and tackle the first projects. In addition to chairman Elmar Pichler Rolle (South Tyrol), the board includes his deputy Silvio Schmid (Graubünden) and treasurer Klaus Dengg (Tyrol). Members are Josef Reiter, Viktoria Haberl, Jürgen Pichler and Viktoria Veider-Walser (all Tyrol) as well as Manfred Pinzger (South Tyrol) and Matthias Wendorf (Allgäu).