European Travel Commission Launches Campaign Focused on Sustainability in The Nordics
The European Travel Commission together with The Nordic Council of Ministers is pleased to announce the launch of a new sustainable tourism marketing campaign for The Nordics, a coalition of the seven Nordic tourism boards of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.
The campaign is designed to reinvigorate travel to the region as COVID-19 restrictions ease and will incorporate B2B and B2C initiatives through work with consortia partners, tour operators, and the media. It will appeal to open-minded individuals who travel to broaden their minds and develop new perspectives while connecting with local culture, eating local food, enjoying nature, and experiencing local traditions – all in a responsible manner. The countries’ unified approach to tourism is bolstered by a shared commitment to sustainability and innovation, natural creativity and itineraries that seamlessly connect multiple Nordic countries to create unforgettable travel moments.
“From mountains, volcanoes and glaciers to fjords, lakes, forests, and black sand beaches, to progressive, environmentally-minded cities, The Nordics offer extraordinary landscapes and experiences for travelers,” said Christina Koontz, U.S. Project Manager for The Nordics. “Collectively, we recognize the fragility of our natural environment – our greatest asset – and are determined to both provide sustainable tourism solutions and educate our visitors to ensure future generations of residents and visitors alike can enjoy our breathtaking destinations.”
Myriad activities that exemplify sustainability await visitors to The Nordics. Finland, home to 41 national parks, 3 million saunas and outdoor activities like off-road biking and ice paddling, plans to be carbon neutral by 2035. Various areas of Sweden are gaining a reputation for being eco-friendly, including Gothenburg which has been named the world’s most sustainable destination in the Global Destination Sustainability Index for five consecutive years; Stockholm, where nearly 80 percent of hotels are sustainability accredited by a third-party certifying body; and Skellefeå which aims to become an early adopter of electric aviation.
In addition to hiking Norway’s magnificent fjords, visitors may opt to experience the coastal route by sailing on hybrid-electric boats. The Faroe Islands are known for attracting birders and hikers, but their farm tours and heimablídni (Faroese for home hospitality) experiences are quickly gaining in popularity. Heimablídni allows locals to share their culture and local cuisine while emphasizing the importance of serving sustainable food from the host’s own farm.
During oyster safaris in the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Denmark, participants are guided to oyster beds at low tide where they fill their buckets in a true sea-to-table experience. Further afield, the sustainable energy islands of ærø and Bornholm have adopted ambitious sustainable energy policies that allow them to make more energy than they use.
With two brand new international airports with direct access from the U.S., Greenland will be a short 4.5-hour flight away from New York by the end of 2024. With its indigenous Inuit culture, and majestic nature, this exclusive and undiscovered destination visited only by a few tourists a year offers a wide range of sustainable activities, including midnight sun, icebergs, kayaking, and glamping in the summer, and northern lights, dog sledding, and snow-shoeing in the winter.
Not only does the island nation of Iceland offer a wide range of activities, geothermal pools and wildlife, along with three UNESCO World Heritage sites and two UNESCO Global Geoparks, but it has also taken a firm stand in the fight against climate change by aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 55 percent by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality no later than 2040. Visitors can travel to Iceland more sustainably by taking the Icelandic Pledge to be responsible tourists, calculating and offsetting their carbon footprint.