It's that time again: Best of Swiss Apps is launching the search for the best Swiss apps of the year. The deadline for submissions is September 8, 2025. Since its launch in 2013, the Best of Swiss Apps Award (BoSA) has established itself as the most important industry prize for mobile and web-based applications in Switzerland. It is the showcase for digital excellence in app development in Switzerland - and a recognized quality award that makes innovation, craftsmanship and impact visible.

The 2025 edition of Best of Swiss Apps features the following further developments and special awards:

Web Apps category becomes "Technology"

In the "Technology" category, we evaluate the technical excellence of mobile applications and their backend systems. Among other things, we evaluate how performant, stable and secure the solution is implemented, how well the platform guidelines are adhered to, how resilient it is to network or system failures and, in particular, how appropriate the choice of technology is with regard to the project objective.

Web apps category becomes "Extended Interaction"

The "Extended Interaction" category recognizes apps that stand out through innovative and immersive user experiences by pushing the boundaries of traditional mobile interaction. The category evaluates projects that use extended realities (mixed, augmented & virtual reality) as well as smartphone apps that create new forms of interaction and extended digital experiences through the creative use of sensors, camera functions or other technological possibilities.

Swico start-up support program

Swico, the trade association for the ICT and online industry, is supporting start-ups to take part in Best of Swiss Apps. Three start-ups are given the opportunity to submit a project in up to two competition categories for the "Best of Swiss Apps" award free of charge - worth CHF 1,350.
The start-up projects regularly take part in the competition and are assessed by the expert juries in the respective categories. Start-ups that have been entered in the commercial register for less than five years as an AG or GmbH are eligible. Swico membership is not required. Interested start-ups can apply apply here until Thursday, August 21, 2025.

"hack an app" award

The "hack an app" award from ti&m is back on board. For over ten years, ti&m has been inspiring children for IT with its IT youth development program "hack an app". During the four-day courses, they develop their own app with the help of ti&m employees and immerse themselves in the fascinating world of technology in a fun way. To get even more children interested in IT, ti&m has teamed up with Best of Swiss Apps to launch the "hack an app" award was launched. It honors the best app for children between the ages of 11 and 14.

Award Night on November 6, 2025 in the Kongresshaus

This year, the award ceremony will take place on November 6, 2025 at the Kongresshaus in Zurich. The "hack an app" award and the "Best of Swiss Software" award will also be presented.

A total of 289 works were submitted by 50 different entrants. This is fewer than last year and initially suggested that this was not a very tolerable year. Not at all. The standard was above average and, on closer inspection, it is noticeable that the digital categories are consistently well filled in terms of number and content. The trend was also fueled by the newly created Social & Creators category, which also brought with it various new sub-categories, such as Real-Time Respone or Influencer Marketing. While - it must be admitted - the very traditional categories such as ads or posters are entering the fall of their careers.

The judging: the wizards assemble

On the first day, a total of 66 works were classified as bronze-worthy; they thus made it to the gold jury, which met on the second day. Every year, a special personality is also a member of this previously selected expert jury: This time, "20 Minuten" CEO Bernhard Brechbühl acted as guest juror. In the end, 22 silver cubes (more than had been awarded for a long time) and 6 gold cubes were chosen. In addition, the ADCESG Award, the Student of the Year and an Evergreen.

The gold cubes went to

• In the category "Photography - Fashion, Beauty, People, Portrait" to "Zermatt Unplugged 2025" for Zermatt Unplugged by Studio Geissbühler.
• In the category "Digital - Interactive Promotions" to "Steal Marina's Artwork" for the Kunsthaus Zürich by SiR MaRY.
• In the category "Film Long Format" to "Chocolat ohne Trallala" for Migros Supermarkt AG by thjnk Zurich (production: Pumpkin Film).
• In the category "Social and Creators - Real-Time Response" to "Nemo broke the trophy" for Mobiliar by Jung von Matt LIMMAT.
• It even won gold twice: In the Film Craft category and in the Art Direction category "La Beauté du Sport" for Ochsner Sport by thjnk Zurich (production: Czar Film).

The silver cubes went to

• In the Digital - Technological Craft category to "Accessibility Cybathlon ETH Zurich" for Cybathlon ETH Zurich by Farner | Team Farner.
• In the Digital - Creative Data category to "Geberit Toilettenpause" for Geberit International by INGO Zurich.
• In the long format film category to "La Beauté du Sport" for Ochsner Sport by thjnk Zurich (production: Czar Film).
• In the Film - Online Film category to "Psychological Violence" for Child Protection Switzerland by Neu Creative Agency (production: Rosas & Co Film).
• In the category Film - Online Film to "Galaxus Deutschland - Wer bin ich?" for Digitec Galaxus from Digitec Galaxus.
• In the long format film category to "Moneymaker" for Migros Supermarkt AG by thjnk Zurich (production: Feit Film).
• In the Film Craft category to "Chocolat ohne Trallala." for Migros Supermarkt AG by thjnk Zurich.
• In the category Design - Editorial and Book Design to "YES Magazine" for Studio Thom Pfister by Studio Thom Pfister.
• In the category Posters - Print to "Galaxus - Babel Campaign" for Digitec Galaxus by Digitec Galaxus.
• In the category Posters - Print to "Werbung aufräumen" by Neu Creative Agency for Rotho.
• In the PR category to "Nemo broke the trophy" for Die Mobiliar by Jung von Matt LIMMAT.
• In the Creative Effectiveness category to "Nuggets of Love" for McDonald's Switzerland by TBWA\ Switzerland.

Double silver was won by:

• In the Digital - Online Measure category and in the Creative Media category to "WOZ - The News in the News" for WOZ Die Wochenzeitung by Freundliche Grüsse.
• In the PR - Campaigns category and in the Good category to "Friendship Bracelets" for Pro Juventute by Farner | Team Farner.
• In the Film Long Format category and in the Film Craft category to "100 Years Anniversary" for Migros Supermarkt AG by Wirz Group (Production: Zauberberg Productions / Feit Film).
• In the Film - Online Film category and in the Audio Craft category to "Falling for Autumn" for Switzerland Tourism by Wirz Group AG (production: Mcqueen Films).
• In the category Design - Product & Package Design and in the category PR - Individual Work to "Migros Recycling Bags" for Migros Supermarkt AG by Wirz Group.

The Student of the Year

As part of Switzerland's most important creative competition, students and graduates from (technical) universities or private schools with a creative focus are invited to submit their best creations, semester or final projects in the "Students" category. The winner was "Spitfire - Raging Together" by Jessica Baumgartner for the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK). A short documentary that portrays women in the metalcore and hardcore scene.

For the third time, the coveted ADCESG Award which is not just an award for better advertising, but for a contribution to a better world. This year, exelixis capital AG was found as a partner, adding even more significance to the award. Co-founder Michael Dieckell acted as an expert and used his specialist knowledge to help the jury categorize the eligible cases. On this basis, the jury decided to give the ADCESG Award to the "Accessibility Cybathlon ETH Zurich" for Cybathlon ETH Zurich by Team Farner.

The cube looks different every year; this time the elegant and cool specimen was designed by Le Bois and its founder and designer Bianca Gerber, whose designs stand for regionality, sustainability, ecological production and timeless aesthetics.

Winning an evergreen means entertaining people for years with advertising at a high level. And being honored by the ADC several times in that time. One client has achieved this in recent years, as well as this year. The evergreen therefore went to "Switzerland is our sports ground" for Ochsner Sport by Thjnk Zurich.

After awarding a Grand Prix two years in a row, the jury was unable to agree on a winner this year. According to jury chairman Thomas Wildberger, the magic of all 6 gold awards made a Grand Prix unlikely, because as they were all rated equally highly, it was simply impossible to agree on a winner. Especially as the decision had to be unanimous.

The abracadabra

All in all, the ADC members experienced a creative high-flying week. The motto "Orchestra of Wizards", which stood over the Creative Day that rounded off the judging as always, brought inspiration in various creative areas. The award ceremony on Friday evening made all the winners seem even happier thanks to Christa Rigozzi's magical presentation. The whole event was crowned by a dinner and subsequent party at the Dupont restaurant in the heart of Zurich's city center.

ADC Managing Director Hanna Jackl: "The Creative Days 2025 were a powerful symbol of creative excellence in Switzerland - bold, relevant and inspiring. My thanks go to our board and especially Thomas Wildberger, the members, the numerous guests, the great keynote speakers for their inspiring impulses - and the team that brought these days to life with so much commitment and passion."

ADC President Thomas Wildberger was also enthusiastic and the great weather also reflected the mood. "There is no magic formula for good advertising. But a real wizard knows how to do it and at least tries to turn every brief, no matter how generic, into an ADC cube. It has been shown that despite the much-cited pressure on the industry, creativity cannot be prevented. Where there is a belief that great ideas make the difference, creativity always finds its way to results that touch people."

In 2024, the new Group-wide climate targets were validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) with a net-zero roadmap until 2045. Compared to the previous year, greenhouse gas emissions in Scope 1 and 2 were reduced by 5%, which is partly due to the increased proportion of biogas and new measures to optimize fuel consumption. "The validation of our climate targets by the SBTi was the logical next step in our ambitious environmental management. In the long term, APG|SGA is committed to significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. We have planned a series of further measures to support us on this reduction path," says Andres Trautmann, Head of Sustainability at APG|SGA.

Sustainability and social responsibility are firmly anchored in the corporate strategy. This is demonstrated by the fact that APG|SGA's sustainability management was awarded the "EcoEntreprise Sustainable Development - Social Responsibility" certificate in 2024. The certificate is based on the ISO 26000 standard and is awarded following an independent audit. The CSR organizational structure was specifically revised in advance in order to improve the holistic integration of the sustainability strategy into the operational business.

A key step was the establishment of the "CSR Board" in order to consistently involve all areas of the company and combine the strategy with day-to-day business. APG|SGA is also committed to diversity, equal pay and fair working conditions along the entire supply chain. In addition, the company supports numerous cultural and social initiatives through poster sponsorship.

22nd Sustainability Reporting 2024 with measures and targets

Impact levels of the CSR strategy

APG|SGA, Allgemeine Plakatgesellschaft AG, is the leading outdoor advertising company in Switzerland. Specializing in digital and analogue advertising solutions as well as special forms of advertising at highly frequented locations on the street, in railroad stations, at the point of sale, at the point of interest, in the mountains as well as in and around means of transport and airports, it covers all areas of outdoor advertising. Supplemented with mobile advertising and interaction options, APG|SGA stands for quality and tradition combined with innovation and aims to inspire people with the best communication solutions in public spaces. Over 500 employees work with customers, the authorities and the advertising industry to create a lasting impression. They work with great care, technical We manage the screens and billboards with a high degree of competence and ecological responsibility and ensure successful advertising broadcasts and posters throughout Switzerland with the utmost precision.

With this step, Codata is positioning itself even more clearly as a technical sparring partner for the design, implementation and operation of digital solutions in the areas of web/CMS, software development, e-commerce, PIM systems, MDM data management / business intelligence and system integration.

"We can't do everything. But we can do some things really well. We want to develop these further," explains Andrin Spring, CEO of Codata. "With Flin, we are gaining a
partner who perfectly complements our technical services in marketing - and with whom we speak the same language."

Flin brings many years of expertise in content and performance marketing to the collaboration. In the future collaboration, the Zurich-based agency will cover marketing via Google and social media, SEO, GEO and content marketing, tracking and analytics as well as AI-driven marketing. Part of the team lives and works in Lucerne and will also use the Codata office in future in order to strengthen operational proximity and exploit synergies.

"I'm really looking forward to working with Codata," says Flurina Klarer, co-founder of Flin and responsible for the Lucerne site. "Future-oriented digital marketing thrives on customized technological solutions. With this partnership, we can offer our customers exactly that and thus achieve greater impact."

Companies are currently struggling with three major challenges: their digital transformation, strengthening their resilience and the shortage of skilled workers. As the study Voice of our Clients of the global IT service provider CGI Group shows, they often fail because of their internal silo boundaries, which prevent the development of cross-departmental end-to-end solutions. As a logical consequence of this dilemma, companies are increasingly working with managed service providers. This is no longer just about cost-effective IT services according to an SLA agreement, but about solving complex tasks that can be solved much better, faster and more flexibly by external specialists. The prerequisite for this is intensive cooperation that also takes into account the maturity level of the respective company. The following list shows which quality criteria a managed service provider (MSP) must meet in order to help companies with their digital transformation:

• Range of servicesManaged services come from the external provision of IT infrastructure, such as servers, clients or storage. Transferred to the cloud model, this is the lowest layer (Infrastructure-as-a-Service or IaaS for short) of the stack. But that alone is no longer enough. Instead, an MSP must be able to cover all layers - such as Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) - and integrate them with the latest automation and AI solutions, from the hardware to the application.
• Depth of integration and partnershipThe solution must be tailored to the maturity level of the company's IT, which is why a maturity level analysis is carried out at the start of every collaboration. The more intensive and long-term it is, the more effective it is. The goal is a lasting strategic partnership that relieves companies of IT tasks and allows them to concentrate on achieving their business goals.
• Flexibility and provider diagnosticsGiven the pace of digital innovation, an MSP must be able not only to deliver standard services, but also to constantly adapt new solutions, for example from the provider market in the AI sector, which is changing almost daily. They must be at the forefront of technological developments and use them to meet company-specific needs. An MSP must therefore not be tied to specific providers and their offerings. Provider diagnostics (analogous to cloud agnostic: running an application on different clouds at the same time, editor's note) is also a must in order to rule out dependencies.
• Automation and AIArtificial intelligence is now indispensable for more than just data analysis, forecasting, complex planning and process automation. Corresponding expertise is therefore an essential part of an MSP's service portfolio. They must be able to correctly analyze a company's AI maturity level and, based on this, implement AI projects that create real added value.
• Consolidation and complexity managementConsolidating the IT landscape is currently one of the most difficult, but also most important tasks for companies in order to make it manageable, agile and affordable. The quality profile of an MSP therefore includes mastering complex IT infrastructures and application landscapes, restructuring and modernizing them and integrating them into business processes.
• Transformation and focus on resultsIT is not an end in itself, but a tool for achieving the company's goals. Analogously, this also applies to an MSP. The value of its services and performance is therefore no longer reflected in the fulfillment rate of SLAs. Rather, it is crucial to not only consider pure IT services, but to increasingly focus on business results.

"Companies are currently struggling with a multitude of challenges," explains Ralf Bauer, President CGI Germany. "The economic situation is difficult, the pressure to innovate is high, complexity is high, the shortage of skilled workers is a dangerous brake on growth and IT resources urgently need to be consolidated. In this situation, companies need a competent and long-term oriented partner who not only provides IT services, but also keeps an eye on the company's success."

Source and further information: www.cgi.com/de

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/wichtige-qualitaetskriterien-fuer-managed-service-provider/

The brand day was held on Wednesday in Laufen at Ricola's production site. Over 250 guests and members of the Promarca association were well looked after by Ricola, with various guided tours showing how the 13 herbs contained in every Ricola BonBon are lovingly stored. The guests were able to marvel at the production facility and sniff the dried herbs. After a flying lunch in a beautiful rural setting, the Promarca event, the day of the brand, began.

President Monique Bourquin gave a detailed overview of the political and social situation in the industry and emphasized the importance of the association as a strong backbone for its members. The moderator then conducted an interview with Barbara Castegnaro, Director of the Promarca Association since January. She gave a competent and far-sighted description of the agenda she has in mind for her office and provided support and confidence for the industry.

The Promarca Brand Award was then presented.

This year's winner: Zweifel Chips & Snacks, a traditional Swiss family business that already won the award in 2018.

"The Promarca Brand of the Year award is a huge honor for us and the result of fantastic teamwork. It's more than just a title for us - it's a vote of confidence that spurs us on to continue giving our best every day," says Christoph Zweifel, CEO of Zweifel Chips & Snacks.

 Representative consumer survey with over 6,000 participants

The award is based on an independent study conducted by Havas Switzerland among 6,251 consumers from German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland. The survey evaluated 396 brands, including those of Promarca members. The decisive factors were perceived dynamism and the public's trust in the brand. Jonas Eliassen, CEO of Havas Switzerland, adds:

"Zweifel wins the prestigious Promarca Brand of the Year Award for the second time. This exceptional development is the result of a consistently pursued brand and innovation strategy: With a constantly evolving product portfolio, sustainable packaging solutions, tangible customer proximity and a modern, appealing brand image, Zweifel proves how tradition and progress can be successfully combined."

Zweifel combines tradition, innovative strength and local roots

Zweifel is a traditional family brand with deep roots in Switzerland that focuses on customer proximity - including through its "FriendZ" community network. The brand pursues a clear innovation strategy, for example by diversifying its snack range with brands such as Zweifel VAYA and Berger. With the expansion of its product range and the new plant in Spreitenbach (ZH), the company is reaffirming its commitment to quality and sustainable jobs in Switzerland.

Ricola and Kambly on the podium

Ricola took second place. The brand is a symbol of Swissness and impresses consumers with its natural ingredients, sustainable production methods, clear brand identity and unmistakable Ricola image.

Third place went to Kambly. The traditional biscuit brand inspires with its quality craftsmanship, gentle innovation, brand experiences and the ability to create an emotional taste experience with every product.

Promarca members remain Switzerland's innovation engine

Promarca is pleased to recognize outstanding brand achievements every year. The innovative strength of the member companies remains consistently high: in 2024, Promarca members launched 8,750 new products on the Swiss market - impressive proof of their role as economic and technological trailblazers. Last year, the member companies generated a total turnover of over 14.2 billion Swiss francs, including exports.

Promarca, the Swiss Branded Goods Association, has been the committed voice of brands in Switzerland since 1929. Today, Promarca counts 102 well-known national and international companies among its members. The association is committed to representing the values of the brand and to ensuring good framework conditions for brand companies in Switzerland. Last year, the member companies generated a total turnover of over 14.2 billion Swiss francs, including exports. The units of these companies based in Switzerland create 18,811 jobs and invest millions in the location every year. The branded goods industry thus makes a significant contribution to the competitiveness and stability of the Swiss economy.

Marketagent, which specializes in online research, has an online panel of more than 3 million people, which was the first access pool in the D-A-CH region to be ISO-certified in January 2010 and recertified in January 2024 in accordance with the current ISO 20252 standard. Within this panel, Marketagent carries out consumer research projects for well-known clients. Recently, 1000 Swiss people from German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland were asked about their experiences in restaurants as part of such a study. 

Served, but not spoiled

Around 7 in 10 Swiss people treat themselves to a meal out at least once a month (69 %) - more than in Germany (54 %) or Austria (65 %). But culinary pleasure has its limits: Overall, the majority of Swiss people feel that the customer really is "king" in the restaurant trade (75 %). However, only just over one in five experience this frequently (22 %) and 52 % only occasionally. A further quarter only rarely or never feel that they are treated like royalty (25 %). Guests are most frequently annoyed by poor value for money (32 %), followed by long waiting times (28 %) and unfriendly or poor service (27 %).

Around one in four people have the impression that the quality of service has declined in recent years (27 %). The Swiss respondents gave a slightly better assessment than the Austrians. In the neighboring country, a good third perceive a decline in service quality (35 %). Despite the occasional annoyance, the tone in local restaurants is usually friendly - or not at all. On average, the Swiss only leave a critical comment around twice a year and a clear complaint only once.

Between tips and standard wages

When it comes to tipping, there is an area of conflict: almost 9 out of 10 Swiss people are prepared to give an "overtip" for good service. At the same time, 86 % are in favor of rewarding good service with fair wages - instead of voluntary tipping. 80 % are in favor of making tipping tax-free and almost 4 out of 10 would like to abolish it altogether.

Top 2 box values: "strongly agree" + "somewhat agree" || n = 1,039 people from German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland

Reservations with decency - but without a credit card

The majority of local restaurant guests stick to their agreements: Only 16 % have ever failed to show up despite making a reservation and without canceling. Just as few have already made reservations in several restaurants at the same time (16 %). On the other hand, new practices in the restaurant industry that aim to further increase the reservation ethic are not very popular with the Swiss. For example, 72 % clearly reject the idea of having to provide credit card details when making a reservation. Time slots, fixed service charges or penalties are also clear red lines for the majority of Swiss diners that would deter them from (further) restaurant visits.

Free services yes - but not for an extra charge

Ordering tap water is widespread in Switzerland - around two thirds have already done so (63 %). However, very few people want to pay for it: on average, they would accept a maximum of CHF 1.50 for a glass of tap water. If this service becomes a chargeable service, many would rather do without it.

Overall, Roland Zeindler, Managing Director of Marketagent Switzerland, sees a mixed result in terms of service quality: "The Swiss appreciate good food and are prepared to dig deeper into their pockets for it - as long as the quality and service are right. But satisfaction is crumbling: One in four people perceive a deterioration in quality. New rules such as tap water for a fee, additional charges for plates or the obligation to use a credit card for reservations are offending many. The catering industry needs to act with tact and sensitivity so as not to gamble away the pleasure of eating out."

Source: www.marketagent-schweiz.ch

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/befragung-zeigt-nachlassende-servicequalitaet-in-der-gastronomie/

There is a handover in the Certifications division at the Swiss Safety Center: Heinrich A. Bieler is retiring. His responsibilities will be taken over by Michael Grünenfelder, Dr. oec. HSG. As an experienced leader in the professional services industry, Michael Grünenfelder has headed national and international departments as a line manager and has extensive experience in managing large projects and project teams for infrastructure projects (thermal power plants and renewable energies). He also has extensive experience in working with authorities and in compliance, avoiding conflicts of interest and ensuring impartiality. His practical experience in the field of certification includes numerous use cases for process optimization and the establishment of management systems according to various standards.

Dr. Elisabetta Carrea, CEO of Swiss Safety Center AG, sees the appointment of Michael Grünenfelder as the new head of the certification body as an opportunity to consolidate the company's position as a renowned and leading certification provider in Switzerland. At the same time, the Swiss Safety Center intends to continue its successful path for further growth in this area. Swiss Safety Center AG is a company of the SVTI Group and thus part of the competence center for technical safety and risk management. The company offers solutions for all industries with specific services, products and qualifications in the areas of safety and quality. 

Source and further information: Swiss Safety Center

This article originally appeared on m-q.ch - https://www.m-q.ch/de/neue-leitung-fuer-den-bereich-certifications-im-swiss-safety-center/

In close collaboration with Helsana, the Zurich-based consulting and creative agency Zense structured the complex strategy content, visualized it and made it tangible through storytelling. The aim: to get to the heart of the content in a simple way and to take around 3,400 employees on an emotional journey through the upcoming strategy.

In a first step, the result of the collaboration is a strategy presentation, a concise key visual, an interactive intranet page and accompanying
Communication tools such as posters and screensavers. The strategy launch with the management presentation took place in January at a major employee event.

Even though the strategy communication is still ongoing, the first positive interim results can already be drawn: The central messages have been received and Helsana employees are using the key visual developed by Zense independently and with pleasure - in presentations, visualizations or as decoration in the office, says Marisa De Faveri Schweizer, project manager for the strategy project on the part of Helsana Corporate Communications.

The Kestenholz Group, headquartered in Pratteln, specializes in Mercedes-Benz and has quadrupled in size over the last twenty years. Most of the expansion has taken place in Germany, which has prompted the owner family to fundamentally rethink the meaning of the brand. An analysis carried out by Yellow showed that "Kestenholz" could make a significant contribution to differentiation, especially in highly competitive Germany. This was the starting point for the renewal of the brand.

Based on the company's origins and history, the Basel brand specialists worked with the owner family and management to sharpen the values and positioning and identify the differentiating features. In a second step, they revised the corporate identity and design.

The results are documented in a comprehensive brand manual, which serves as a guide for the marketing managers in the individual sales regions. The creative team also designed a compact brand booklet for employees, which serves as a guide to actively living the brand in their day-to-day work.

Yellow also sensitized the members of the management team as part of a brand camp, during which the new corporate movie also celebrated its premiere. Yellow's creative department is now overseeing the rollout of the new corporate design and providing ongoing support to the marketing teams in the development of communication measures that strengthen internal brand awareness and external brand perception.

Responsible at the Kestenholz Group Thomas Kestenholz (CEO), Jan Kriwanek (Marketing), Agency Yellow, Partner Corporate Movie Grunerfilms

With an anniversary appearance at Rhema and various communication measures, the location brand Rheintal.com celebrated its tenth anniversary. The platform was launched in 2015 by the St.Gallen Rhine Valley Association and aims to make the region visible beyond municipal boundaries - for skilled workers, returnees and companies as well as for the local population and guests.

Rheintal.com sees itself as an instrument for regional location marketing. The brand portrays people, companies and places in the Rhine Valley and presents the region as a cohesive unit. In terms of content, it focuses on proximity and authenticity, for example with contributions on quality of life, economic prospects and regional ties.

High-profile projects

One of the successful projects is the image film "Wa macht üsers Rhintal so grossartig?", which was created in collaboration with Widnau artist Nico Arn. The video reportedly reached 2.8 million views within two months. The "Rhinfluencer:innen" social media initiative, in which people from the region acted as ambassadors, also achieved a high reach.

At the Rheintal.com stand at this year's Rhema, visitors received information material and a printed bag with a night motif of the Rhine Valley. In addition, a video was produced on site with voices from the local population, capturing personal perspectives on life in the region.

Ruedi Mattle takes over

The anniversary also saw a change at the top of the association: Reto Friedauer, who had been President for many years, handed over his office to Ruedi Mattle, previously Vice President. Sabina Saggioro is now in charge of management. She emphasizes: "With Rheintal.com, we are making visible what distinguishes our region as a place to live and do business. The brand brings people, communities and companies together - and shows that the Rhine Valley is more than just a geographical term: it is a shared promise."

Nine tourism organizations from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy form the AlpNet network to promote the development of responsible and nature-friendly Alpine tourism.

The members of AlpNet include Allgäu Tourismus, Tirol Werbung, SalzburgerLand Tourismus, Graubünden Ferien, Luzern Tourismus, Made in Bern, Valais/Wallis Promotion, IDM Südtirol-Alto Adige and Trentino Marketing. Together they represent around 155 million overnight stays per year.

As part of the Alpine Climate Summit 2025 on the Zugspitze, AlpNet presented the so-called Alpine Manifesto which formulates ten common guiding principles. The aim is a sustainable approach to nature, people and the environment in the Alpine region.

Karin Seiler, President of AlpNet and Managing Director of Tirol Werbung, emphasizes: "The Alpine Manifesto is more than a symbolic solidarity. It is a practical guideline and a common mission to ourselves."

Invitation to participate

The principles of the manifesto range from respectful behavior in nature to climate-friendly travel and the promotion of regional value creation. The regions rely on measures that have already been tried and tested. Tyrol, for example, is focusing on coordinating use and dialog with the "Bergwelt Tirol - Miteinander Erleben" program. In Salzburger Land, projects such as "GuestMobility Ticket" and "Respect and Protect" enable gentle mobility and visitor guidance.

In the Allgäu, over 120 partner businesses are contributing to the "Climate-neutral Allgäu 2030" project to reduce CO₂ emissions. South Tyrol is focusing on sustainable offers and collaborations with "Mindful in the mountains" and "Visiting pioneers". Trentino emphasizes safety and local quality with projects such as "Prudenza in montagna".

The Swiss destinations are also making concrete contributions: Lucerne offers overnight guests free travel on public transport, Bern promotes conscious tourism with "ViaBerna" and educational programs on climate issues, and new approaches are being implemented in Valais with "Fairtrail Valais" and the future "Mobility Ticket", among others.

According to AlpNet, the Alpine Manifesto is not just a position paper, but an invitation to guests, businesses, municipalities and politicians to actively contribute to sustainable development in the Alpine region. Further information on the manifesto and the regional projects can be found at Alp-net.eu.

The guiding principles at a glance

1. We respect the nature and wildlife of the Alps. 
2. We behave respectfully towards other guests and locals. 
3. We leave nothing behind in the natural alpine landscape. 
4. We prefer the existing accommodation offer.
5. We select tours in the Alps carefully and prepare them well. 
6. We cross the Alps carefully and stay on paths, trails and pistes. 
7. We respect the operating times and rules of snow sports facilities and cross-country ski trails. 
8. We buy regionally and support local companies. 
9. We travel environmentally friendly. 
10. We carry the beautiful memories of the Alps in our hearts.