Sámi Dresses in Sámi Homeland

Responsible Visitors’ Guide to World of Sámi Culture and Sámi Homeland in Finland

This responsible visitors’ guidance website is based on the ethical guidelines for Sámi tourism adopted by the Sámi Parliament in Finland in 2018. Sunna Kitti’s illustrations clarify and exemplify ethical guidelines’ message of how to behave and act in order to secure more responsible and ethically sustainable future in Sámi Homeland, and support the continuation of Sámi culture.

The primary target group of visitor guidance includes national and international visitors, non-local travel industry’s entrepreneurs and employees arriving in Sámi Homeland as well as tourism students interested in Sámi tourism. The guidance hopefully awakens the awareness of arriving as guests to an extraordinary place where visitors need to pay special attention to holistic sustainability of the destination, especially the wellbeing of local communities and their chance to live peacefully their everyday lives and private festivities without the negative impacts of tourism.

Sámi Parliament’s Responsible Sámi Tourism Visitor Guidance with its accompanying materials has been financed by Ministry of Education and Culture.

Share

Visitor Guidance

Responsible Tourism in Sámi Homeland

It is of great importance for visitors arriving and tourism industry in Sámi Homeland to be aware that they are guests in the area that is rich in culture-bound customs, which must be recognised and respected. The regions, local environment and Sámi culture include various tangible and intangible elements which all bear an impact on how natural resources in the given locality are utilised and, particularly, on the limits and restrictions of such utilisation. Visitors to the area must take into consideration these area-specific and seasonal practices and customs inherent to the culture.

Read more
Good Future
Reindeer legs - Good

Holistic Sustainability

Imagine that each leg of the reindeer calf represents one element of sustainability and carrying capacity.

Touristic utilisation of Sámi culture and tourism taking place in Sámi Homeland is not sustainable if even one of the elements of sustainable development or carrying capacities is not met.

Read more

Vocabulary

Vocabulary of Responsible Tourism in Sámi Homeland

Sámiland has been home to Sámi people since time immemorial. When visiting Sámiland, you are in a special and precious cultural landscape that has been formed and sustained by everyday life and festivities of the Sámi, the only indigenous people within the area of the European Union. This living cultural landscape enables the vitality and wellbeing of Sámi culture and transmission of it all to future generations. Do not jeopardise the richness and diversity of Sámi culture through your own actions.

Learn more
Sámi Culture
Peaceful Everyday Life

Future

With Responsible Choices We Can Have an Impact on Our Future

In all the places, where our deeds and footprints reach and affect, we all share responsibility of our future together. Together we can make today more responsible and ethically sustainable. Tomorrow’s generations also need all this beauty and richness to live and experience.

Learn more

Quiz for Tourists Visiting Sámi Homeland

Are You Ready to Visit Sámi Homeland?

Test Your Knowledge on DOs and DON’Ts in Sámi Homeland.

Take Quiz
Sámi Culture