Sustainable tourism

Home / Themes / Sustainable tourism

The City of Lappeenranta’s sustainable tourism strategy involves, on the one hand, reducing the tourists’ carbon footprint and, on the other, enhancing the regeneration of the ecosystem. Regional collaboration is the key to success in sustainable tourism development.

The Lappeenranta region Roadmap to sustainable tourism is developed in cooperation with a regional tourism marketing and development company goSaimaa’s Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) regional pathway and integrated as part of the Glasgow Declaration Climate Action Plan in Tourism. The target of halving tourism’s carbon footprint by 2030 is implemented through a climate program and the NetZero Cities action plan.

The biggest step for the whole region is the development of local transport. Lappeenranta’s implementation of joint public transport between the cities of Lappeenranta and Imatra, one ticket product, will contribute significantly to the development of sustainable mobility.

You can read more about Lappeenranta's progress of sustainability in 2024 here

The key is that the sustainability of Lake Saimaa, which shores Lappeenranta is located, is ensured. In the future, the city will develop not only Saimaa nature tourism, but also green areas, for example around the Old Town fortress, and create destinations where, in cooperation with entrepreneurs, the green transition is realized, and the destinations are accessible and sustainable. In August of 2024 the concept of Sustainable tourism park will be opened at the fortress.

At our sustainable tourism services centre, Sandcastle, we have circulated two million kilos of sand in cooperation with our school students for 20 years. Besides sand sculptures, we host city bikes, equipment rental and tour services, helping our residents and tourists’ access to nature.

The City of Lappeenranta has sustainable event guidelines and encourages carbon-neutral events when renting event areas and in event partnerships. Collaborative events throughout the popular harbour area follow our sustainable guidelines, including separating waste and adding bicycle parking. People are encouraged to arrive at events on foot, by bike or by public transport.

Explore the sustainable tourism concept of the city of Lappeenranta in our short video