Finland’s Cities Lure Tourists With Promise of Sustainability

31.05.2024 - 18:59 / skift.com / Jesse ChaseLubitz

Tampere, a southern Finnish city known for its industrial skyline, 160 nearby lakes, and ample public saunas, says it aims to become the “world’s leading sustainable travel destination.”

Tampere is marketing itself as an “environmentally friendly destination” that will appeal to tourists looking to make greener holiday choices.

The announcement from Tampere is not the first from a Finnish city. The trend is likely a result of Scandinavia’s gradual rise to stardom as traditional Southern European destinations become too hot for summer travel. 

Tampere’s popularity is steadily growing, with overnight stays increasing since the pandemic. In 2023, the city registered 1.1 million arrivals, an increase of 8% from 2022.

Over the past decades, it has made progress in reducing emissions. Greenhouse gas emissions fell by 34% from 1990 levels. The city also claims that 62% of its energy production is renewable.

However, the tourism sector is still in the early phases of implementing changes.

“In the tourism sector we are still in the phase of determining what is the end goal, a.k.a when we can credibly declare that we have reached climate neutrality,” said Matti Pollari, the project manager of sustainable tourism development at Visit Tampere.

Pollari said that the key actions for reducing emissions include building tramlines, improving bus service, installing better infrastructure for walking and cycling, and adding carbon-neutral district heating.

For now, Visit Tampere is focused on reducing emissions by collaborating with major operators in the area, including amusement parks, hotels, and event venues.

Tampere is only the latest in a line of Finnish cities hoping to entice tourists with the promise of sustainability.

Helsinki has been working hard to define its image as a sustainable capital city. It committed to promoting sustainability education among tourism providers and requiring the sector to prepare climate goals and roadmaps. Tourism sector operators are expected to transition to entirely renewable energy and invest in emissions-free transportation between now and 2026.

In 2023, the Global Destination Sustainability Index ranked Helsinki as the fourth most sustainable tourist destination in the world.

Another city just north of Helsinki, Lahti, also incorporates sustainability into its image. The city, which is known for its winter sports, stopped using coal in its main power plant and replaced it with forest residue and waste timber. It built bike lanes, repair stations, and e-bike stands and transitioned to electric buses.

In 2021, Lahti instituted an urban ski-sharing program. They installed a few ski depots and encouraged people to use skis to get from one place to another in the winter,