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January 13, 2025

Thurgau Travel stands out in the river cruise industry not only for the unique travel experiences it offers but also for its commitment to promoting sustainable tourism. The company has made sustainability one of its top priorities, working tirelessly to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and to adopt eco-friendly practices at every stage of the travel experience.

One of the most tangible demonstrations of Thurgau Travel’s commitment to sustainability is the Green Award certification, which has been obtained for all of the vessels in its fleet. The Green Award is a prestigious international recognition that attests to the excellence of the vessels in terms of environmental performance and safety. Green Award certified ships are operated by top-tier companies committed to meeting the highest standards of quality and environmental performance. Thurgau Travel is a leader in the industry, with five of its ships certified, including the MS Thurgau Gold, which has achieved Gold status for its exceptional environmental standards. The Green Award program not only rewards excellence but also encourages socially responsible behavior from companies, offering benefits and incentives for those who commit to meeting these criteria.

In addition to the Green Award certification, Thurgau Travel actively supports global environmental protection initiatives. The company is a partner of The Ocean Cleanup, a non-profit project developing technologies to remove plastic from the oceans. Thurgau Travel financially contributes to this important project, and thanks to the choice of its customers to receive digital travel documents, every booking helps fund ocean cleanup initiatives. For every digital document order, a CHF 5.– contribution is made to support The Ocean Cleanup technologies, with a total donation of CHF 20,000.– already made. This is just one example that demonstrates Thurgau Travel’s concrete approach to tackling plastic pollution and protecting the marine environment.

Furthermore, Thurgau Travel is also part of the Swiss Swisstainable program, which aims to give visibility to the efforts of the Swiss tourism sector towards sustainable development. Swisstainable supports tourism companies, such as Thurgau Travel, that are committed to sustainability by integrating existing certifications and providing recognition to initiatives that meet high standards. Participation in this program reflects Thurgau Travel’s ongoing commitment to promoting responsible tourism, making sustainability a key element of its operations.

Thurgau Travel has also implemented a series of initiatives to significantly reduce plastic use aboard its vessels, with the aim of preserving the river environment and reducing plastic pollution. One of the most relevant actions in this direction is the introduction of a sustainable soap refill system. Thanks to this system, traditional single-use plastic bottles for shampoo and soap have been eliminated, along with the need to deliver these bottles to the ships, thereby significantly reducing plastic waste. The production of sustainable soap is highly resource-efficient, being 100% biodegradable, and it contains no microplastics, a crucial factor for protecting aquatic ecosystems.

On board the ships, the containers in the cabins are made of glass, a reusable material that can be easily cleaned and refilled, thus avoiding the use of plastic packaging for toiletries. Currently, three of the seven ships in Thurgau Travel’s fleet use Soeder sustainable soap, a choice that has led to a reduction of 90 kg of plastic per ship each year. This means that not only is a significant amount of single-use plastic eliminated, but microplastic pollution in rivers and oceans is also prevented, an increasing problem for the health of aquatic ecosystems.

Every year, millions of tons of plastic end up in rivers and oceans, causing serious environmental damage. Thurgau Travel’s commitment to reducing plastic use, particularly single-use plastic, is a concrete measure to mitigate this impact, both in terms of waste pollution and protection of aquatic life. In this way, the company not only contributes to reducing plastic aboard but also plays an active role in protecting the rivers that its ships navigate.

Finally, Thurgau Travel does not limit its ecological initiatives to internal efforts but also encourages its customers to join in supporting environmental and climate protection. Through the collaboration with the myclimate initiative “Cause We Care”, passengers have the opportunity to directly contribute to climate protection with a voluntary contribution. A small additional 3.25% charge on the package price allows travelers to offset the CO2 emissions generated by their journey, making a difference in the fight against climate change. Thurgau Travel commits to doubling this amount, allocating part of the funds to high-quality climate protection projects supported by the myclimate foundation. The remaining funds are invested in local climate protection measures or in enhancing operational sustainability. This program gives customers the opportunity to make a tangible choice for the future of our planet, directly supporting environmental initiatives.

With its focus on sustainability, Thurgau Travel not only contributes to preserving the natural environments it traverses but also encourages its passengers to become active participants in safeguarding our planet. Every cruise with Thurgau Travel thus becomes not only an unforgettable experience but also a conscious choice for a more sustainable future in river tourism.

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Giorgia Lombardo

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