We are constantly working towards sustainable tourism

Sustainable Travel Finland - certified companies
Lapland Hotels Luostotunturi
Lapland Ski Resort Luosto
Lapland Safaris
Sunday Morning Resort 
Pyhä-Luosto National Park (Metsähallitus)
Lampivaara Amethyst mine
Pyhä Ski Resort
Pyhä Ski-inn Hotels & Apartments
 

Responsibility-certified businesses
Ravintola Punakettu (Green Key)


 

We collect feedback every two years from domestic and international visitors to the Pyhä-Luosto area in order to develop our services and trail network responsibly and based on researched, data‑driven insights. Regular surveys help us monitor changes in tourism and gather information on visitors’ experiences, expectations, movement patterns, and use of services. This research enables us to assess the impacts of tourism and ensure that it benefits the region ecologically, economically, and socially—without compromising nature or the visitor experience.

As part of our long-term responsibility work, we also conduct a local resident survey every 4–6 years to ensure that the voices and perspectives of the community are included in decision-making.

Our goal is to ensure that Pyhä-Luosto remains a vibrant and well-functioning destination for everyone.

Since the region of Pyhä-Luosto joined the Green Destination Management Net (Green DMN) program in autumn 2008, a concerted effort has been made to push sustainable tourism and employ greener practices. The entire region of Pyhä-Luosto was involved in the quality development program. The priorities of the environment program were: energy, transport, waste management, construction and conservation

In March 2019, Pyhä-Luosto became one of the pilot destinations for Visit Finland's Sustainable Travel Finland program. The pilot phase of the program concluded on June 1, 2020. Through the program, Pyhä-Luosto, along with other pioneers in sustainable tourism involved in the program, has been working on the development path outlined by the Sustainable Travel Finland program to promote and pursue sustainable tourism, aiming for the STF (Sustainable Travel Finland) certification.

Read more: https://www.businessfinland.fi/en/do-business-with-finland/visit-finland/sustainable-travel-finland-label/ 

1. We Engage in Fair Collaboration
Visit Pyhä-Luosto offers local tourism operators and municipal representatives the opportunity to participate in joint development and activities. Entrepreneurs are encouraged to recommend and cross-sell each other’s services.

2. We Take Care of Nature
Visit Pyhä-Luosto operators work closely with Metsähallitus. Nature-based tourism companies have valid cooperation agreements and are committed to following the principles of sustainable nature tourism. Visitors are guided to stay on marked trails and follow outdoor etiquette.

3. We Respect Cultural Heritage
The productization, menus, interior design, and storytelling of companies in the Pyhä-Luosto region incorporate local Sámi, Lapland, and Arctic cultural heritage.

4. We Promote Well-being, Human Rights, and Equality
The Pyhä-Luosto tourism area employs local residents and aims to extend the seasons so that businesses are open for 10 months and 80% of companies are committed to year-round operations.

Companies in the region offer internships and familiarization periods for young people and invest in guidance. Twice a year, employees in the area are invited to a shared “Get to Know the Fells” orientation day that strengthens local knowledge and awareness of available services.

Visit Pyhä-Luosto increases awareness of inclusive tourism, aiming to strengthen equality in both customer encounters and workplaces. Inclusive tourism takes into consideration people with various disabilities and access needs, LGBTQ+ individuals, and diverse ethnic backgrounds.

5. We Favour Local Products and Services
Visit Pyhä-Luosto encourages local companies to prioritize local and regional products in their business operations.

6. We Invest in Safety and Quality
Visit Pyhä-Luosto has a safety plan that is updated twice a year. Special situations are communicated on the website. Companies are committed to operating with safety in mind.

7. We Consider Climate Impacts
Visit Pyhä-Luosto increases awareness among local operators about climate impacts and emission reduction. By 2025, the region aims for all companies to use electricity from renewable sources and fossil-free heating energy. Many companies have already transitioned to renewable energy.

Visit Pyhä-Luosto actively participates in joint emission calculation projects coordinated by the Regional Council of Lapland (such as the Välkky project). One outcome of the project is the guide for low-carbon holiday homes: “Increase Revenue, Protect Nature.”

Visitors can reach the destination using public transportation.

8. We Communicate Openly
Visit Pyhä-Luosto is creating a shared model for communicating about responsibility in order to make it easier for operators to share their sustainability actions.
We provide a sustainability pledge, which visitors can evaluate during their stay.

9. We Continuously Develop Our Business Operations
Visit Pyhä-Luosto actively informs local companies about various trainings and actions that support business development.

10. We Commit to the Principles of Sustainable Tourism
We take an active role in promoting sustainable tourism and implementing these principles. We create a sustainable tourism action plan to guide our work in an increasingly systematic way. We commit to these actions and want to continue learning in the future.

You can also take part by signing Visit Finland’s Sustainable Finland Pledge.

Visit Pyhä-Luosto member companies participated in the 2022 ELY Center's (The Centres for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment) pilot project on Competent Workforce through Community and Partnership Networks. The goal of the project was to identify the key areas for development in the availability of skilled workforce in the Pyhä-Luosto area and to formulate long and short-term regional and community-specific development plans related to this.

Visit Pyhä-Luosto has joined the We Speak Gay community, which works to promote safer and more inclusive tourism and society.

In Pyhä-Luosto, everyone is welcome to enjoy the space, silence, and nature. We treat all visitors equally and aim to create a sense of safety and belonging for everyone — because everyone deserves it.
In the future, we aim to communicate clearly and visibly about the safety of LGBTQ+ travellers in Pyhä-Luosto and to warmly welcome rainbow travellers to our region. With the support of the We Speak Gay community, we are increasing our understanding of the importance of social responsibility in our destination and working to further enhance sustainability across the entire tourism area.

Read more https://www.wespeakgay.com/ 

Long-Term Development of the Pyhä-Luosto Tourism Area Advanced Strongly in 2024–2025 Through a Three-Project Entity

In 2024–2025, the long-term development of the Pyhä-Luosto tourism area was significantly strengthened through a coordinated entity of three projects. The projects introduced extensive improvements to trails, signage, and trail-related communication. New routes, signage, and digital services enhance accessibility and ensure a safe year-round visitor experience, while also improving the operating conditions for tourism businesses.

Tourism in Pyhä-Luosto has grown strongly for over a decade, driven by the rise of nature-based travel. Both national park visitor numbers and registered overnight stays have nearly doubled, and tourism revenue has increased to €48 million. Trails are the region’s key attraction, and high-quality routes benefit both visitors and locals.
The increasing demand was addressed through a joint initiative by Sodankylä, Pelkosenniemi and Kemijärvi: Year-Round Boost for Pyhä-Luosto Through Trail Development. The entity included one planning project and two investment projects.
Key Deliverables of the Planning Project

• A Master Plan for the trail network and a signage plan guiding future investments and standardising trail marking and signs.
• A new graphic identity and signage design to improve clarity and international usability.
• Digital trail information, including route descriptions, photos, videos and 360° content for Outdooractive and the pyhaluostotrails service.
• Production of 13 - 360° videos, some serving as accessible virtual trails

Investment Project Actions

Sodankylä Municipality:

• Built two new year-round trails (Auroralampi, Kantapäävaara)
• Added new snowshoe trails and winter cycling routes
• Updated several trail alignments for year-round usability

Pelkosenniemi Municipality:

• Renovated the Pyhäjärvi–Suvanto mountain biking trail and the Kiimaselkä summer route.
• Converted the Rykimäkero P – Kiimavaara route to a summer trail as municipal in-house work
• Installed new signage and map boards across the area

Key Future Development Need

The projects revealed that the region’s existing signage is inconsistent and partly insufficient. The next major task is to renew all trail signage according to the newly developed signage plan.

Funding
The projects were funded by the Regional Council of Lapland and the EU’s JTF fund.

Planning project budget: €307,411 (80% funding)
Sodankylä investment project: €124,846 (70% funding)
Pelkosenniemi investment project: €68,310 (70% funding)

26 September 2025 The theme of the day was to inspire, spark ideas and insights, and provide motivation for strengthening sustainability in tourism across the Pyhä-Luosto region. Participants included local tourism entrepreneurs, municipal representatives, and members of the local community. The program explored current topics in responsibility and sustainability, including the challenges and opportunities related to the future and climate change.

The programme included:

• An overview of the current state of sustainability in the Pyhä-Luosto area
• Inspiring and practical tips for sustainability communication
• The latest Finnish Meteorological Institute report on the future of seasons in Lapland
• A discussion on the challenges and solutions of sustainable tourism from a social responsibility perspective — both internationally and at a very local level

The event was organised by Visit Pyhä-Luosto ry in collaboration with the Pelkosenniemi Sustainable Growth Programme project.

Visit Pyhä-Luosto is part of the Arctic tourism network. The Care for the Arctic Code of Conduct was developed through a thorough, collective process to define what responsible travel in Arctic Europe should look like.

During spring 2026, Activation Labs will be organised for tourism regions. These Labs are the next step in ensuring that the Care for the Arctic Code can be implemented in ways that support each destination’s priorities and everyday sustainability work.
This activation component is included in the AETC project and is offered to all participating DMOs. The benefits of the programme are shared, and the results will be presented at the AETC final seminar in Rovaniemi (22–23 April 2026).