How does it feel to run a sustainable hotel, Daniel Ganzer? (Pioneers of Sustainability – Interview Series)
My resolution is to set a positive example and make a difference that way.
The stories of the sustainable hoteliers of the Green Pearls® partners are diverse and unique. Some build new hotels, others develop existing ones, and others grew up in a family of hoteliers and were virtually born into it. In this interview series, we would like to tell their stories.
Today: Daniel Ganzer from the Naturhotel Outside in Matrei in East Tyrol
In the Middle of the Outdoors
Generation change at the family-run Naturhotel Outside. For a few weeks now, Daniel Ganzer has been at the helm and is in charge of the East Tyrolean hiking hotel, having taken over the manager's post from his father. As a sustainable hotelier through and through, he has some plans for the Outside, but - this much can be revealed already - they will continue to follow the sustainable path he has chosen.
When we called Daniel Ganzer, the hotel manager is sitting in front of a panoramic window that opens onto the breathtaking mountain world of the Hohe Tauern. "That will probably be too bright in the background," he says after a critical look at the screen and changes seats before we begin. “Mitten im Draußen” (In the middle of the outdoors), is now written on the wall behind him. The motto of the Naturhotel Outside has even more impact with the mountain panorama from before.
It also shows the close connection to the wilderness and the region. The nature and hiking hotel is located in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park in East Tyrol. Nature is ever-present: outside the windows, in the natural materials, on the plate and, of course, in the philosophy and thoughts about the future.
Green Pearls®: Hello Daniel. I'm glad that it worked out so spontaneously!
Daniel Ganzer: It's a pleasure.
GP: To kick things off and to get to know you and the hotel a bit, let's begin with an easy question: What is your favourite place at Naturhotel Outside and what makes this place special?
Daniel: Now, in summer, it's easy. It's the jetty at the bathing lake in our hotel garden. The sun is there the longest and you have a great view over the whole valley. But of course there are other beautiful places besides this one.
GP: Is this view something that makes the Outside stand out?
Daniel: Our location in the Hohe Tauern National Park is a key feature. We are located in the middle of the National Park, which is great for outdoor activities. In other words, the location in the virtually untouched landscape of East Tyrol is a great unique selling point compared to other destinations.
As for the hotel, it's the staff, who come from the region and have been with us for many years, that makes us special. We are a family business, which means we have aunts and uncles, parents, and cousins in our hotel. Our staff is very much "people-people". We have a great team and, accordingly, a great quality of service.
And the third is, of course, the overall philosophy around the theme of "Mitten im Draußen" (in the middle of the outdoors) and sustainability. Here in the region, we are already very advanced and, above all, very detail-oriented.
GP: When you say you are a family business, did you develop into the hotel business? In other words, how long have you been involved?
Daniel: That's hard to say. Yes, a family business means that you're there as a child, so to speak. That doesn't mean that you work, but you are there. I have been active in the hotel for *considers briefly* over ten years now.
GP: Why are you so passionate about sustainability? Was there a particular point where your outlook changed?
Daniel: No, for me the motivation didn't come from an event or from Fridays For Future recently, for example. A lot has been demonstrated in our case and a lot was simply obvious. I am not an environmental activist, but for me, sustainability is simply logical and everything else makes little sense to me. My resolution is to set a positive example and make a difference that way.
Generation change and plans for the future
GP: You recently took over the hotel from your father. How does it feel to be the new head of the Naturhotel Outside?
Daniel: It's not as if everything suddenly changed from one day to the next. Of course, it feels different when you have more responsibility on your shoulders. But the tasks haven't changed that much. I was involved everywhere before.
GP: How did you tackle the topic of sustainability in your hotel?
Daniel: My parents already integrated the topic of sustainability. It's not something that I invented in our organization. Unlike my parents, I have been communicating this to the public more. I had certificates issued, i.e. the Austrian Umweltzeichen (eco-label) and the Eco-Label. And I looked for cooperations, like the one with Green Pearls®, and thus strengthened our communication. But the idea of sustainable management and the social and ecological aspects have always been part of our hotel.
GP: Is that how you plan to run the hotel from now on?
Daniel: Yes, of course! *laughs* I'm not going to outline anything big now, but will continue on the path we have started. Everything we do is aligned with our sustainability concept. That means we try to improve in all areas, for example, energy technology.
GP: Would you say that the Naturhotel Outside is a sustainable hotel?
Daniel: I wouldn't say we are the most sustainable. We are certainly not. But we try to consistently work towards this idea and make sure that everything we do and redo is state of the art.
There are now hotels that are built as zero-emission or positive-energy buildings. I think that's great! But we don't have the possibility to be a zero-emission property, simply because we've been around for 30 years. Therefore, we just have to work with it.
GP: Is there a project you are particularly looking forward to?
Daniel: We are currently planning a renovation of the existing building in order to renovate the façade visually and energy-efficiently. During this process, we are also thinking about the topic of wellness. We have a spa area in the building and the fact that wellness is an energy guzzler is something you can talk about all you like ...
So at the moment, we are contemplating how to solve this. We will certainly continue to have a wellness area in the hotel, but we will be more conscious about it and how much energy we consume.
Those are actually the next major projects. The first one will probably come in autumn this year and the others next year and the year after.
GP: That sounds like a number of construction zones. Do you see your biggest challenges for the coming years in the energy sector?
Daniel: There is an incredible amount of innovation in this sector. Consequently, you almost have the luxury of being able to choose. So I wouldn't see any particular challenge there. You just have to know for yourself what you are looking for.
The biggest challenge in our hotel is actually the issue of employees. A shortage of staff or skilled workers is common in all industries. We are on the right track, but we still have to constantly question ourselves. Are we doing everything right in terms of employer technology? What can we do better? That is the biggest challenge in order to be able to maintain and enhance our level of quality.
GP: Rather than talking about specific projects, let's look a little further into the future: Where and how do you see the Outside? What is your vision?
Daniel: I am convinced that the path we are taking is successful and will continue to be so in the future. Also because it is relevant and important. My wish for our hotel is that we can consistently continue in this direction and that we find the right people for our team.
Basically, I want to create a positive, deeply rooted place in the region that doesn't pretend to be something but is what it promises itself to be. A place in the middle of the outdoors exactly as it is behind me. With experiences, with people, and with quality. That is my philosophy in everything I do. What that looks like exactly, whether the hotel looks like this or like that ... I can't say at this point. The bottom line is that it should be a source of enjoyment.
Of course, it should also be economically sustainable. It's often the case with family businesses that the family members work a lot and put a lot of private life on hold. I would like to see a place that is in such a good position, in terms of its concept and its economic situation, that the family can also function just as well alongside the job. That is important.
GP: What would you wish for the development of the hotel industry as a whole? Both in terms of sustainability but also in general.
Daniel: I find it difficult to say anything to my colleagues now. In the end, everyone has to sort it out for themselves. The ball is rather in the court of society or politics. It is the latter that must set the framework conditions that favor sustainable practices rather than non-sustainable ones.
And the guest also belongs ... perhaps this is the wrong word to use. But depending on which study you believe, between 70 and 80 percent of CO2 emissions are produced by travel to and from the destination. Even if it's only 60 percent, that's a huge piece. That is one of the biggest factors in reducing CO2 emissions, and only the guests themselves or the public can do that. In concrete terms: the expansion of public transport, the topic of the last mile in the destination. There still isn't always the right solution.
Of course, we look at where we can improve, and where we can become more efficient, but the guests themselves also contribute a lot to how much is emitted during their holiday. My preference would be, as far as the topic of travel is concerned, that public transport be expanded, especially in Germany, and that the topic of the last mile be approached professionally and sensibly so that it might work not only for the guest but also for the locals. That would be a big step in the right direction.
Fundamentally, I think we have all understood what is at stake.
It is about efficient use of space, that land is not consumed unnecessarily. It is about balanced business sizes, especially in our region. It is about fundamental questions: Where do we need mountain railways, where do we not? Where does hospitality or industry serve a few large corporations and where does the added value really flow into the region?
In the last two or three generations, it was the families in the regions who built up tourism, in whatever facets. Now we are increasingly seeing that external investors, who are not fundamentally bad, are coming in and trying to capitalise on the market potential. And that is not always in the interest of the regional population.
GP: What makes a sustainable hotelier for you?
Daniel: A sustainable hotelier? That they do not differentiate between their business and their private lifestyle. That it is coherent and harmonious. I cannot exemplify something in the business that I do not live myself in my private life. If someone says "I'm a sustainable hotelier" and comes along with a huge SUV burner that bears no relation to the circumstances, then I ask myself whether that really is compatible. Conversely, I think it's cool when entrepreneurs travel publicly when possible. After all, there is such a thing. In summary: He should practice what he preaches. For me, that is a sustainable hotelier.
GP: Vielen Dank für deine Zeit!
About the Naturhotel Outside
The family-run Naturhotel Outside is located in the middle of the Hohe Tauern National Park in Austria. Active sports enthusiasts will feel just as comfortable in this cozy hotel as those seeking relaxation and indulgence. Numerous hiking trails, mountain bike routes and ski slopes start right outside the hotel door. After an eventful day, the small but fine wellness area beckons with its sauna, pool and natural bathing pond in the garden. The gourmet restaurant is the refuge of Verena Ganzer. The kitchen team conjures up unique dishes from regional ingredients, in the tradition of local cuisine, but always with a special twist.
Pioneers of Sustainability at Green Pearls®
In this interview series, a variety of hoteliers and hosts have their say, share their thoughts on sustainability and reflect on their career paths. The interview series is ongoing and will be published at irregular intervals. We are looking forward to the next part of the series.
Until then, we highly recommend reading the previous interviews: