Sustainable Travelling

What is sustainability?
According to the internet, sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

What is sustainable travelling?
According to The World Tourism Organization it is tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.

In 2010 the municipalities in the Westfjords of Iceland decided to unite and aim to become an EarthCheck Certified region. With great emphasis on the project and sustainability the Westfjords have since been awarded silver certification from EarthCheck since 2016 by meeting their Destination Standard. 

With its membership to EarthCheck the municipalities of the Westfjords have committed themselves to take nature into account in all their decisions and to ensure the sustainability of the regions natural resources for example with purchasing environmental friendly products and responsibility in recycling of waste.

EarthCheck formerly Green Globe is an international tourism and environmental management and advisory group which was developed by the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, the world’s largest dedicated research centre specialising in sustainable tourism and research. It is the only organisation that environmentally certificates regions and communities.

The Westfjords are looking forwards to carrying on with the work at hand and building up a more sustainable region every year.