Bad Aussee / Austria

Alpine Town of the Year 2010 (not a member of the association)

Bad Aussee has been a health resort since 1868 and has had town rights since 1994. The municipality is a regional centre for the six communities of the Salzkammergut. Through the regional association, Bad Aussee, as a model region for the “Regionext” programme, is committed to ensuring a high degree of quality in terms of the environment and of life as well as further innovative, balanced and sustainable development.

Various protected areas have been designated on municipal territory. There are still a few lowland moor meadows. The municipality is part of the European nature reserve known as the “Dachstein Plateau” and thus also of the World Heritage region. Since only grassland farming is practised, mainly as a sideline, there is hardly any erosion.

There is no road construction on sensitive plateaus, while other construction activity is also controlled. There are measures to protect against urban sprawl, biomass/district heating plants supply the municipal facilities, there are several small hydroelectric power stations on the arms of the River Traun, and one old arm of the Traun is being reactivated. The municipality is promoting solar plants and wood-burning heating systems.

The city advocates environmentally friendly health and cultural tourism. Tourism is the main economic factor, both in summer and winter (Loser ski area).