Authored by Petra Blinnikka and Riitta Koivisto ICRT Finland/ Jamk University of Applied Sciences
Finland demonstrates a strong commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and has consistently held the top position in global rankings that evaluate countries’ progress in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The key pillar of Finland’s climate policy is the national Climate Act, which lays down emission reduction targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050. The emission reduction targets are -60% by 2030, -80% by 2040 and -90 % but aiming at -95 % by 2050, compared to the levels in 1990. According to the Act, Finland must be carbon neutral by 2035 at the latest. Annual Climate Reports are published to monitor the achievement of the targets and adequacy of the measures.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, which holds the mandate for shaping Finland’s national tourism policy, has articulated four strategic priorities intended to guide the sustainable development and structural transformation of the tourism sector. Key priorities include supporting initiatives that promote sustainable development, addressing the challenges and opportunities of digital transformation, enhancing accessibility to meet the evolving needs of the tourism sector, and fostering an operational environment that strengthens competitiveness
Finland aims to become the Nordic regions’ leading destination for sustainable tourism growth. The country is actively developing tourism as a responsible and expanding service sector that contributes to national well-being and employment, with a particular emphasis on year-round activity and balanced regional development.
Sustainability-oriented developments in the tourism sector were initiated in the 1990s and have been progressively pursued ever since. Visit Finland as a national tourism organization has been very active in the development work and engaged the destinations as well as the tourism companies. For example, Visit Finland, alongside 70 Finnish tourism organizations, has signed the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.
Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) Programme
The Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) programme, developed by Visit Finland, offers tourism enterprises and destinations a structured framework for advancing sustainability. Upon completing a comprehensive development process—which includes third-party certification and a commitment to continuous improvement—participants are awarded the Sustainable Travel Finland label. Today 512 companies and 11 destinations have the STF label. Over 1200 companies are participating to the programme.
Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world for the eighth consecutive year, according to the World Happiness Report.One of the reasons for this is the tight connection to nature. Nature holds a deep cultural, emotional, and practical significance for Finns. Finland is home to 41 national parks, covering nearly 10,000 km²—about 2.7% of the country’s land area. These parks are managed by Metsähallitus, which is a state-owned enterprise that produces environmental services. (Metsähallitus 2025.) Parks are vital for both nature conservation and recreation.One of the challenges in the tourism perspective has been how to access national parks, especially without your own car.
Outdoor Express – sustainable nature experiences for locals and tourists
Outdoor Express is a collaborative initiative between EcoFellows Ltd and Visit Tampere Ltd, designed to offer an environmentally friendly and convenient alternative for accessing national parks without the need for private vehicles. Until now the service has offered opportunities to visit three different national parks from the center of Tampere city. Beginning in summer 2025, the service will also be available in Central Finland through Visit Jyväskylä Region. During the summer season, buses depart from the city centres of Tampere and Jyväskylä, providing direct transportation to six national parks in total. The service enables visitors to enjoy distinctive nature experiences through both day trips and overnight stays. Outdoor Express is intended for both residents and tourists, with the overarching aim of making hiking and nature exploration easily accessible to all.
The nature tourism service Outdoor Express was recognized at the 2024 Finnish Travel Gala organized by the Association of Finnish Travel Industry. The award winners in various categories were chosen by both the public and tourism professionals, with over 13,400 people casting their votes.
City of Jyväskylä – forerunner in fuel cell buses
The Toyota Mobility Foundation (TMF), the City of Jyväskylä and Toyota GAZOO Racing World Rally Team (TGR-WRT) have jointly established the Central Finland Mobility Foundation (Cefmof) to advance their shared vision of achieving carbon neutrality and fostering a sustainable society. The partners are actively progressing toward the realization of this goal.
Recently, they announced the following specific initiatives. The city of Jyväskylä and Cefmof will cooperate to introduce fuel cell buses (FC buses) as a trial for public transport for the first time in Finland. Jyväskylä’s first hydrogen refueling station will be built in the city in cooperation with Vireon (a Norwegian hydrogen fuel servicing company).
In July 2025, five fuel cell (FC) buses will be introduced in Jyväskylä and are scheduled to commence operation within the city’s public transportation network. This initiative aims to assess the performance of FC buses under Finland’s cold climate conditions and to evaluate the viability of sustainable urban mobility solutions.
Moreover, the establishment of a hydrogen refueling station in Jyväskylä, located in Central Finland, is anticipated to position the city as a regional hub for hydrogen refueling. This development is expected to generate new business opportunities and employment, while also contributing to the revitalization of the local economy and supporting the broader implementation of hydrogen-powered transportation across Finland.
City of Helsinki – the first bigger city to get Green Destinations GSTC certificate
The City of Helsinki has demonstrated a longstanding and ambitious commitment to sustainable development, extending beyond tourism to encompass the broader operations of the city administration. A key aspect of responsible governance involves understanding the current state of sustainability across various dimensions within the destination, systematically documenting progress, and measuring the impacts of tourism. Helsinki places strong emphasis on ecological, social, cultural, and economic sustainability, and is firmly committed to advancing the objectives outlined in the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. The city actively promotes non-discrimination, equality, and inclusive participation, ensuring that all residents have opportunities to engage in civic life. Furthermore, Helsinki has pledged to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030, reinforcing its role as a leader in sustainable urban development.
According to Helsinki’s City Strategy, the aim is to make Helsinki the smartest and most sustainable travel destination in the world. Helsinki’s Tourism and Events Programme 2022–2026 sets out the detailed objectives, measures and indicators to achieve this goal.
Helsinki is part of the Global Destination Sustainability Index, which measures the sustainability of travel and event destinations across a wide range of factors. Helsinki ranked sixteenth in 2021, twelfth in 2022 and fourth in 2023. In 2024, Helsinki reached the top of the index. The overall index score has increased by a remarkable 19.9 points between 2021 and 2024 (72.5/100 in 2021, 92.4/100 in 2024).
In March 2025, the City of Helsinki was awarded the Green Destinations GSTC certification. Established in 2007, the GSTC criteria were developed in collaboration with key international organizations, including the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Foundation (UN Foundation), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), and the Rainforest Alliance, among others. The Green Destinations GSTC certification adheres to the most rigorous standards set by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council for sustainable travel destinations. Attaining this certification requires comprehensive compliance with all criteria, reflecting a deep and verified commitment to sustainability.
The Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria encompass over 280 indicators that address all key dimensions of sustainability. These criteria evaluate operations through the lenses of environmental, cultural, social, and economic sustainability, as well as sustainable governance. Helsinki holds the distinction of being the first city with a population exceeding half a million to be awarded this certification.
ICRT Finland was established in 2015 and has now more than 100 members representing people from DMOs, companies, academia, third sector, and Visit Finland. ICRT Finland is operating as a loose network, without any membership fees, or other obligations from the members. This enables cooperation to be as easy as possible, and everyone participates when and if they can, as their own circumstances allow.
ICRT Finland distributes information, best practices regarding responsible tourism and offers the possibilities to learn about these issues. For example, the network has organized two international conferences on Responsible Tourism in Destinations together with partners. The first was a launch of ICRT Finland in 2016 in Jyväskylä, and the other was in 2022 in Helsinki. ICRT Finland network has also planned and implemented various sustainability and responsibility themed projects, organized various educational programs, events and workshops. Cooperation with the MATKA Fair, the largest tourism fair in the Nordic countries, began in 2019. Since then, ICRT Finland has organized events such as panel discussions at the fair focusing on current topics in responsible tourism.
Nordic Collaboration and 2025 Webinar
ICRT Finland works in collaboration with Nordic partners. In 2024 the first intensive Nordic webinar week was organized by ICRT Finland. Each of the Nordic countries was represented, sharing their perspectives and examples on responsible tourism and a book on responsible tourism practices in Finland was published. (Blinnikka, Grahn, Gunnarsdóttir & Tunkkari-Eskelinen, 2024.)
For the second time, the webinar week will be organized from 11th to 13th November 2025. Please see further details about the event on the event webpage.
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