Finnish Tourism Industry Aiming for a Carbon-Neutral Future

14 June 2022
Translate

Visit Finland, and 60 other Finnish tourism regions and companies, have signed the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism. The declaration signatories commit to cut their CO2 emissions in half during this decade and will work to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

The Glasgow Declaration is the most comprehensive climate change statement in the tourism sector. The declaration provides a framework that, for the first time, brings together all operators in the tourism industry around these shared commitments in five diverse ways: measuring and reducing CO2 emissions, regenerating practices, increasing cooperation, and securing the funding needed for development.

  • Visit Finland wants to do its part in achieving these goals, and our strategy is guiding us towards an inclusive and professional industry as well as a holistically sustainable travel destination that will be carbon-neutral by 2035, says Kristiina Hietasaari, the senior director of Visit Finland.

Tourism must continue to be possible in the future, and the business opportunities and employment offered by the tourism industry have to be ensured. Sustainable tourism supports essential national goals, such as regional economic development and the fight against climate change.

  • Finland's tourism product is sensitive to the effects of the warming climate. It must be safeguarded as we want travelling to be possible also in the future. The development of low-carbon travel options, experiences, and destinations must be secured. The Finnish tourism industry is committed to this common goal and has joined forces, and 60 travel organizations from Finland signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism. This is an excellent way to celebrate the upcoming World Environmental Day as well, Hietasaari continues.

Visit Finland's goal is to raise Finland's reputation as a sustainable travel destination and a pioneer in sustainable development. Signing this declaration, especially when done together, is one way of showing commitment and being effective with responsible actions. By May 2022, the Glasgow Declaration will have been signed by more than 500 parties around the world. In addition to regional organizations, tourism businesses that vary in size are a part of the Glasgow Declaration.

  • We want to support Finland in achieving its position as a leading country in sustainable tourism and show our region's tourism operators and stakeholders that environmental responsibility affects us all, and only with responsible actions can we preserve our unique lakes and nature for future generations, says Katja Vehviläinen, director of goSaimaa.
  • Sustainability must be a way of life, it is not a choice we have. The future of our kids relies on it. Our actions today will directly affect their tomorrow, says Theo Turner, CEO of Wild About Lapland.

The signatures of Finnish tourism operators will be announced at the One Planet Forum in Stockholm on 1.6.

Contributing members are responsible for the accuracy of content contributed to the Member News section of AdventureTravelNews.

Comments