Sustainable destination
Innovation Norway owns and develops a labelling scheme for Norwegian tourism destinations wishing to focus on sustainable destination development. In spring 2016, Longyearbyen was awarded the “Sustainable Destination” label by Innovation Norway. Visit Svalbard has now completed the re-labelling process and is proud to retain the label for a new three-year period.
What is the “Sustainable Destination” label?
Innovation Norway’s label scheme is a tool for systemising the sustainability efforts within a destination. The criteria for the label scheme involves working on environmental, social and economic considerations.
Sustainability deals primarily with taking care of the needs of people living today without destroying the opportunities for future generations to meet their needs. The label scheme addresses nature, environmental and climate impact and interaction between tourism and local communities, as well as the industry’s economic value creation.
The label does not mean that the destination has completed the work involving sustainability, or that the destination is a sustainable destination. This is an everlasting process in which we improve the way we operate tourism step by step. Destinations that have received the “Sustainable Destination” must work continuously over time to improve its work based on sustainable principles. The label scheme is a tool for developing a sustainable destination. Consequently, the goals that have been set must demonstrate improvement when the destination implements the re-labelling process every third year.
Proud to regain the “Sustainable Destination” label
Longyearbyen was a proud holder of the “Sustainable Destination” label from 2016 to 2019. The work to achieve this prestigious label in the first place and to retain it through a re-labelling process is challenging in terms of both labour and funding. Unfortunately, when 2019 came around, Visit Svalbard was unable secure the funding required to implement the re-labelling process. However, in autumn 2021, the necessary funding was secured, and work to re-label Longyearbyen as a sustainable destination commenced. Longyearbyen was re-labelled as a Sustainable Destination in February 2022.
A joint effort
Our guests are more concerned about the environment than ever before. Focusing on sustainability is focusing on the future. The tourism industry in Svalbard will continue to work together to reduce the environmental impact of tourism in the years ahead and increase efforts concerning sustainability in the tourism industry. The purpose of this to facilitate our environmental footprints being as minimal as possible and to ensure that your experience in Svalbard is as authentic as possible. It’s also important that the tourism industry takes responsibility for ensuring that the interaction between the local population and visitors is working. As a guest in Longyearbyen, you are contributing to us being able to keep the wheels in motion and develop Longyearbyen as a good place to visit and a good place to live.
Innovation Norway’s label scheme is in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Hence participation in the label scheme contributes to Longyearbyen taking part in a joint effort to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.