The principles of sustainable tourism

To ensure the sustainability of tourism, it is necessary to agree on joint principles of sustainable tourism. These principles make it possible to enhance the commitment of sites and their operators to sustainable operations.

Metsähallitus has applied the principles of sustainable tourism since 2004. In 2015, cooperation with Finland’s World Heritage Sites was launched in order to create joint principles. There was a need for principles that can also be applied to cultural sites. These principles were ready in 2016.

Nowadays, UNESCO World Heritage Sites and the Metsähallitus nature services apply joint principles of sustainable tourism in Finland, taking them into account in all of their own operations and in cooperation with tourism entrepreneurs. By committing to the principles, the parties aim at ensuring the ecological, socio-cultural and economic sustainability of tourism.

We promote sustainable tourism. In order to achieve this goal, we cooperate to…

1. Support the preservation of valuable features at the sites and promote their protection

• Natural and cultural values are important factors in terms of attracting tourists
• We inform visitors of the values of the site and their protection and encourage visitors to act responsibly
• We develop services and direct the use of the sites, taking into account demand and the site characteristics
• We mainly use existing routes and service structures
• In construction, we also take account of local natural and cultural values
• We ensure that tourism does not compromise natural or cultural values and we prevent any harmful impacts proactively

2. Minimise the load on the environment

• We promote opportunities to travel to the destination on public transport with low emissions
• We increase the duration of visitors’ stay in the area
• We operate with energy and material efficiency
• We set a good example in environmental issues
• We enable and encourage visitors to act in an environmentally friendly manner

3. Strengthen local aspects

• Local knowledge, research information, experience and culture provide a starting point for delivering experiences
• The guidance provided is of high quality, and operators know the area and local conditions well
• We increase the appreciation of the site by means of high-quality tourist services
• We cooperate and offer local residents and visitors the opportunity to take part in the management and development of the site

4. Promote use of the sites to increase health and well-being

• We encourage visitors to engage in versatile natural and cultural experiences on their own and in guided groups
• We ensure the safety of all sites and services
• Our services promote equality
• We enhance visitors’ opportunities to increase their social, psychological and physical well-being
• We promote local residents’ recreation and improve living conditions in the area

5. Promote growth and job creation in the local economy

• We offer visitors high-quality services based on the attraction of the site
• We cooperate actively with other operators in the management of sites and the provision of services, with clearly defined roles and responsibilities
• We provide easily accessible and interesting information on the sites and services in advance using various channels
• We encourage visitors to stay longer in the area

6. Communicate together the values and services of the site

• We are committed to the values and basic messages of the site
• We communicate consistently and responsibly with different target groups both in Finland and abroad
• We collect feedback from stakeholders in order to improve customer satisfaction and our activities
• We organise training and cooperation events for operators in the area
• We encourage operators to commit themselves to these principles of sustainable tourism