Norway has in recent years taken a
range of steps towards building a
more sustainable tourism industry
and at Innovation Norway we are proud
to take part in the United Nations’ 2017
International Year of Sustainable Tourism
for Development as one of its Gold
Partners.
‘Norway – powered by nature’ is
the message for our tourism brand. It clearly reflects what we aim to achieve,
which is sustainability in a long-term
perspective. Tourism in Norway provides
enriching experiences presenting a unique
nature, rich history, local cultures and
food experiences. As the main agency
supporting the Norwegian tourism sector,
Innovation Norway and its subsidiary Visit
Norway seek to help develop world-class
sustainable solutions for the country’s tourism operators. This approach goes
hand in hand with the conservation of
nature and culture, which play a vital role
for local value creation and development.
The United Nations has for several years
ranked Norway as one of the best countries to
live in. Recently it was also ranked as having
one of the world’s happiest populations,
according to the UN’s World Happiness
Report 2017. Norway is not only rich in
nature and natural resources, but also has high
ambitions on reducing its footprints in areas
important for future generations. As such,
innovation and investments are based on
highly commended Norwegian values,
including closeness and care for nature, social
welfare, inclusiveness, and green growth.
This effort to create a sustainable society is
also reflected in Norway’s tourism offerings,
which introduce guests to a rich specter
of soft and hard adventures, culture, food
experiences, city life and nature activities.
DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT
Destination development is a multitasking
activity. It combines planning,
development, performance and profiling
activities while including a wide range of
stakeholders and interests. Together with
the tourism industry, Innovation Norway
has developed the certification system
and development process ‘Sustainable
Destination’, assisting local and regional
destinations to target sustainability issues
and work in a systematic, strategic and
operational way. All of this comes with
the goal of aiming to achieve increased
sustainability in the tourism sector. Through
this sustainability certification system the
various destinations gather information,
involve stakeholders, plan and implement
actions, and monitor their own progress. In
addition, the branded destinations monitor
improvement on a broad specter of areas, helping them prioritize actions and work
towards long-term goals.
Destinations already branded as
sustainable through Innovation Norway are
national pioneers when it comes to running
strategic and dedicated local processes, with
the goal of achieving increased sustainability.
Well-known Norwegian tourist destinations
such as Røros, Lærdal, Vega, Geilo, Trysil,
Setesdal, Inderøy and Svalbard are on the
list. These destinations plan and implement
actions, such as enhancing local food and
culture, reduce emissions by providing
better energy solutions and transport.
They also help increase the responsibility
for local environmental challenges and
engage the local community in tourism
activities. An example of the latter is how
the destinations organize waste disposal –
and waste sorting systems – at places used
by tourists. The certification is aligned with
international standards for sustainability in
tourism.
Sustainability efforts are often fragmented
and inconsistent. Businesses and
destinations are therefore in need of relevant
tools and information to manage sustainable
tourism. To assist the industry take actions
towards sustainability, Innovation Norway
showcases all tourism enterprises and
products under the Green Travel section
of VisitNorway.com. Green Travel provides
easy navigation to important certifications
for tourism-related businesses such as
Ecotourism Norway or the Nordic Swan and
helps simplify the search for greener solutions
for potential customers.
Innovation Norway is committed
to supporting all industries in building a
greener future, actively encouraging the use green technology, using digitalization as
a mean to better planning and developing
sustainable business models. Innovation
Norway will continue to support the
Sustainable Development Goals and help
to deliver solutions needed to achieve
them. This includes supporting a tourism
sector that provides sustainable solutions for
people, business and the environment.