Tourism ecolabels in the Nordics

Tourism in the Nordic countries has a competitive eco advantage in e.g. strict environmental laws, sustainability destination concepts implemented, flags for clean beaches, certified eco restaurants and accommodation providers eco/sustainability certified. However, there seems to be a need for coordination of efforts done, that very well could also present an opportunity for growth. One option could be to design a sustainable destination system, like in Iceland and Norway. The customer only needs to look for one brand – the destination brand. Another option could be to work with stakeholders and create a platform for ecotourism, like VisitNorways Green Travel. It could include best practices and be used as a marketing channel, in particular for SME’s.This report gives you an overview of the different ecolabel tourism systems identified in the Nordic countries and presents a systematic background for the above recommendations.