The Swedish region of Västerbotten has joined EarthCheck’s Leading Destinations of the World™ program, a global network of destinations that share a vision and a passion for improved sustainability outcomes.
The Leading Destinations of the World™ program provides a framework for destinations to benchmark their environmental, social and economic performance and to measure their carbon footprint.
A natural wonderland with a rich cultural heritage, Västerbotten is a region in northern Sweden that borders the Gulf of Bothnia to the east and Norway to the west. Throughout Västerbotten, you’ll find mighty lakes and rivers, grand mountains, deep forests and a beautiful coastline, as well as urban experiences in the region’s two major cities, Umeå and Skellefteå.
Västerbotten is situated in the ancestral land of the Sámi, the only recognised Indigenous people of the European Union, who can still be found herding their reindeer from the Baltic Coast to the Scandinavian Mountains.
Västerbotten Experience, an initiative of the regional tourism organisation, Region Västerbotten Tourism (RVT), supports the local hospitality and tourism sector to provide authentic experiences for visitors, and to have positive environmental, cultural and socioeconomic impacts.
Annika Sandström, Region Tourism Chief, says Västerbotten Experience is a method intended to help tourism companies, destinations and municipalities to develop more sustainable services and experiences.
“Västerbotten Experience has become a method for 100+ organisations that are actively working towards sustainable development,” Ms Sandström says, “from accommodation providers and restaurants to tour operators and even entire municipalities.
“We choose to work with EarthCheck because they are the world’s leading certification and consultation partner for sustainable destinations and tourism organisations.”
Sustainability certified
To ensure the credibility of Västerbotten Experience, RVT developed the program in line with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) Criteria, the global standards for sustainable travel and tourism.
The GSTC does not directly certify any products or services – rather, it provides an accreditation program for sustainable tourism certification bodies. That’s why, to operationalise the program, Västerbotten Experience has partnered with EarthCheck, a GSTC-accredited certification body.
“Gaining EarthCheck certification is the way forward for us to demonstrate our region’s commitment to more sustainable practices for the region, local destinations and tourism operators,” Ms Sandström says.
“EarthCheck will help us strengthen Västerbotten’s brand as a sustainable destination in Sweden, as well as strengthen the efforts of local companies, and attract environmentally conscious people who want to experience Västerbotten.”
Västerbotten Experience is now supporting destinations and leading tourism operators within the region to participate in EarthCheck certification programs, which will require them to benchmark, monitor and continually improve their environmental, social and economic health, and have their progress audited by an independent third party.
For example, Visit Umeå – a key destination within the region – is already working towards EarthCheck Sustainable Destinations certification.
Stewart Moore, EarthCheck’s founder and CEO, says certification gives consumers confidence that destinations and tourism operators are backed by a commitment to sustainable, high-quality tourism experiences.
“Our science-backed, people-focused certification process has been taken on by the world’s most visited destinations and most trusted operators for over three decades,” Mr Moore says.
“We’re pleased to see Västerbotten, and so many precincts and operators within the Västerbotten region, embrace the transparency and accountability that comes with EarthCheck certification, and we look forward to supporting all of them on their sustainability journey.”
Annika Sandström will discuss her work with Västerbotten Experience and EarthCheck at GSTC2024 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference in Stockholm, Sweden from April 23-26.
To learn more about Västerbotten Experience, as well as the destinations and operators that have earned the Västerbotten Experience seal, visit vasterbottenexperience.se.
Learn more about EarthCheck’s Leading Destinations of the World™ program here.
