Victoria and Amelia Blog

  Key Aspects of Finnish Sustainable Tourism National Strategy :  Finland's 2025-2028 strategy aims for sustainable, competitive growth, prioritizing sustainability management as a key advantage. Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) Program : A free, comprehensive toolkit for tourism companies and destinations. Guides businesses through a 7-step development path towards sustainability. Companies earning the STF label demonstrate commitment to minimizing harm and continuously improving. Focus on Nature & Culture: Leverages deep Finnish connection to nature, with 41 national parks managed by Metsähallitus. Includes cultural aspects like Sámi traditions, historic towns, and supporting local artisans. Community & Local Economy:  Encourages buying local products and services to support vibrant communities, as seen in examples like Salla's controlled growth. Proactive Management:  Develops indicators to manage visitor flows and prevent negative impacts, balancing growt...

Celebrating the arrival of 2026 with themes of  innovation, growth, continuous learning, skill development, and digital transformation , focusing on empowering individuals and shaping a smarter, connected future. Amelia at Croptik Services. #ict #digitaltransformation

 

 #sustainability #sustainabletourism Essen (Germany): 💗💗💗💗💗💗 The city of Essen, recognized by the EU in 2017 as the  European Green Capital , has maintained its commitment to sustainability, a philosophy that is also reflected in how it celebrates Christmas. Its international Christmas market ranks in first place as "Best sustainable Christmas market in Europe" in the scoring set up by European Best Destinations. Powered  100% by renewable energy , it stands out for having replaced plastic dishes and bags with a  deposit system  for cups, mugs, and plates in which products are served. Maribor (Slovenia): 💗💗💗💗💗💗 Slovenia's second-largest city, following the capital, holds official recognition as one of the country's  “Green Destinations” . Their Christmas market is unique for its  eco-friendly constructions  and its commitment to avoiding the use of cut fir trees. Instead, it showcases its renowned traditional  "living trees" ...

Boasts magical Christmas markets, with top destinations like  Montreux  (lakeside wonder with Santa, castle festivities),  Basel  (largest, fairy-tale Old Town,family friendly), and  Zurich  (indoor station tree, Old Town charm)  offering festive stalls, mulled wine, crafts, and carols, alongside beautiful markets  in  Lucerne ,  Bern ,  Lausanne , and Italian-influenced  Lugano   (often stays open till late) . Each market offers unique ambiance, from Swiss traditions to lakeside views,  festive lights, fondue chalets, flying Santas, and more   attracting visitors with seasonal treats and festive cheer.  That is Switzerland - charming !

Promoting local, organic and artisanal products to reduce the carbon footprint, reduce waste or the use of renewable energy are some of the key elements for making Christmas markets more sustainable.  In order to reduce the environmental impact, some Christmas markets have been setting up  more sustainable  practices for years. Lighting has evolved towards the use of renewable energies, as seen in the  Christmas market in Cologne  (Germany), powered by 100% renewable electricity - hydroelectric and wind - a measure which saves, according to its estimates, 152 tons of CO2. Or that of  Madrid’s Plaza Mayor , one of the most emblematic in Spain, which will be lighted with sustainable energy for the first time in 2024. Source: https://www.moeveglobal.com/en/planet-energy/environment/ #sustainability #christmas