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TALVISALLA / WINTERSALLA 2024-2025 5

Salla’s investment in responsibility and
the development of sustainable tourism
is bearing fruit

Salla achieving the Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) destination label, the Skål Europe Sustainable Awards 2024 price,
and progress in the Give Back To Local Nature Campaign are remarkable accomplishments. They are the result of
Salla’s tourism sector’s long-term commitment to sustainable travel. Clean and untouched nature is Salla’s trademark
and thus very important for Salla’s tourism. Companies on their own and together with the tourism association often
invest in different ways to limit their burden on the environment to the smallest possible. These investments have
paid off and the results are starting to show.

In October 2024, Salla re- tain percentage of the com- won by Salla highlights the re- restoration efforts. The pur- significant investments in SUSTAINABLE
ceived significant recogni- panies operating there have gion’s leading role in sustain- pose of the campaign is to sustainability by acquiring TOURISM AS AN
tion when the region was achieved a company-specific able tourism. The evaluation collect funds to acquire the their own environmental cer- ATTRACTION FACTOR
awarded first place in the Skål label. There are only two des- criteria for the competition land for the Natural Heritage tificates, such as Green Key, Salla’s investments in sus-
Europe Sustainable Awards tinations in Lapland that have includes minimizing environ- Foundation and for restora- Green Activities and Ekokom- tainable tourism have be-
competition. In addition, the achieved the STF destination mental impacts, involving lo- tion measures in the area. passi. These certificates are gun to bear fruit, and the
region has received the Sus- label, one of which is Salla. cal communities and inno- When, after the end of the important steps towards ob- achieved international rec-
tainable Travel Finland (STF) vating sustainable solutions. campaign and the area is taining the Sustainable Travel ognitions, such as the re-
destination label awarded by Salla’s strength as an transferred to the natural her- Finland (STF) label, which can gional STF label, the Skål
Visit Finland, which indicates STF destination is its na- Salla participated in the itage foundation, it becomes also be awarded to individual Europe Sustainable Awards
a commitment to responsible ture-based tourism, where competition with Give Back a protected area. companies. However, achiev- win and the Nature Credit
tourism. In cooperation with tranquility, clean air and re- to Local Nature campaign. ing certificates and the STF Campaign, clearly show the
the Natural Heritage Founda- spect for nature are the fo- The campaign was seen as Through the campaign, trav- label is not a simple process, region’s commitment to en-
tion, Salla has created an in- cus. Tourism operators in the a fresh and functional way to ellers can feel that they are but requires long-term work vironmental protection and
novative Nature Credit cam- region have adopted environ- combine tourism and nature part of Salla’s environmen- and commitment. the development of respon-
paign that binds tourists even mentally friendly methods of conservation, minimizing the tal work and leave a positive sible tourism.
more closely to the protection operation, such as increasing mandatory burdens caused footprint from their visit. This For example, companies
of nature. energy efficiency and recy- by tourism on nature. The opportunity especially at- must improve energy use, Salla constantly strives to
cling waste. In addition, the campaign also raises aware- tracts tourists who are aware minimize the generation of develop its tourism in the
THE STF DESTINATION region invests in the preser- ness of climate change and of their environmental impact waste and improve recycling. long term and while respect-
LABEL: A GUARANTEE vation of local culture and the loss of biological diver- and want to travel more re- In addition, the carbon foot- ing the values of nature. The
OF RESPONSIBLE responsible nature tourism, sity, encouraging active par- sponsibly. The campaign also print of tourism services is region responds to tourists’
TOURISM taking into account both nat- ticipation in protecting the raises awareness of environ- reduced by switching to re- growing expectations for sus-
The Sustainable Travel Fin- ural diversity and the well-be- environment. mental issues. newable energy sources and tainable travel while creating
land program is a tool de- ing of the local population. favoring locally produced raw better conditions for the local
veloped by Visit Finland that GIVE BACK TO LOCAL The campaign has progressed materials. Training the per- community and the environ-
supports tourism companies SKÅL EUROPE SUS- NATURE CAMPAIGN: according to schedule and do- sonnel in the principles of ment to face the challeng-
and regions in achieving the TAINABLE AWARDS THE TOURIST’S CON- nations have been made by sustainable development es of the future. Salla also
goals of sustainable develop- WIN; INTERNATIONAL TRIBUTION TO NATURE local people, tourists, tour- and environmentally friend- hopes to inspire other tour-
ment. The STF label is award- RECOGNITION FOR CONSERVATION ism companies and interna- ly choices offered to cus- ist centres and companies to
ed only to those operators SALLA Salla’s Give Back to Local tional tour operators; Icarion tomers, such as responsi- develop their own sustaina-
who follow a strict criteria of Skål International, which al- Nature campaign is a per- and Voigt Travel. The campaign bly organized activities and ble tourism solutions.
sustainable development. so includes Skål Europe, is fect example of the region’s ends in February 2026. environmentally responsible
The STF destination label one of the world’s oldest innovative thinking to pro- transport options, are part of Salla warmly welcomes you
received by Salla is not on- and best-known networks of mote sustainable tourism. CORPORATE RESPONSI- the process. These meas- to enjoy the unique nature of
ly a symbol, but a concrete tourism professionals, and The idea of the campaign is BILITY: CERTIFICATES ures help companies reduce the area.
indication of the area’s long- its Sustainable Awards com- simple but effective: tourists ACCELERATE COMPA- the environmental load and
term work to reduce the en- petition recognizes progres- can ”compensate” for the en- NIES TOWARDS SUS- act as an example in respon-
vironmental impact of tour- sive sustainability initiatives vironmental impact of their TAINABLE SOLUTIONS sible tourism, which also en-
ism. Receiving a destination worldwide. The Skål Europe visit by donating to the cam- Tourism companies in the ables the company to apply
label also requires that a cer- Sustainable Awards 2024 paign and/or participating in Salla region have also made for and receive the STF label.