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Sustainable Destination

Geilo was awarded the Sustainable Destination certificate for the first time in 2016, as one of the first destinations in Norway. The Sustainable Destination certification is a quality mark for destinations that work systematically towards a more sustainable society. In 2023, Geilo was re-certified for the second time, now under Standard 3.0. This does not mean that Geilo is 100 percent sustainable in all areas, but it means that as a destination, we are committed to working long-term for a more responsible and sustainable development.

In 2016, Visit Geilo and Hol Municipality entered into a partnership agreement, which is renewed every four years. This agreement has an overarching goal of ensuring the long-term development of Hol Municipality as a travel destination and Geilo as a sustainable destination. The partnership aims to develop attractive local communities with sustainable social, economic, cultural, and environmental development, in line with, among other things, Innovation Norway's sustainability goals.

Sustainable Destination Certification Environmental Lighthouse Geilo 2030 
Sub-projects of Geilo 2030 Annual Report for Sustainable Destinations 2023-2024 
Responsible Marketing The Future Climate of Hol Municipality

Drone bilde Geilo vinterstid januar i sol
© © Paul Lockhart

Guest Survey

Geilo was first certified as a Sustainable Destination in 2016, and in 2023 the destination was proudly re-certified for the second time. This certification is an important milestone in Geilo’s long-term efforts to protect nature, while at the same time offering high-quality and memorable experiences for visitors from around the world.

The certification scheme, which is managed by Innovation Norway, is a concrete tool for developing a more sustainable tourism industry. Every three years, the destination must document improvements and continued development in order to retain the certification.

We are now starting a new re-certification process, and we hope that you will contribute by taking part in our guest survey. Feedback from our guests and cabin owners helps us in our work to make Geilo and Hol Municipality an even better place to visit.

It is important to note that in this guest survey, we use “Geilo” as a collective term for Geilo and Hol Municipality as a destination. We therefore hope you will take a couple of minutes to respond to the survey and perhaps share it with others who also spend a lot of time in Geilo and Hol Municipality.

Answer our guest survey

 

Sustainable Destination Certification

Visit Geilo, in close collaboration with Hol Municipality, has been working diligently for many years towards a more sustainable development of Geilo as a destination. This effort led to Geilo being among the first destinations in Norway to qualify for the Sustainable Destination Certification in 2016.

The certification program, managed by Innovation Norway, serves as a concrete tool for developing sustainable tourism. The program demonstrates that the destination consistently prioritizes the goal of increased sustainability. Every three years, there is a re-certification process where the destination must show improvements made since the last certification. In this way, the destination commits to continuously working with sustainable principles and to improving itself and its relationship with the local community.

On October 18, 2023, it was announced that Geilo once again met the requirements set by Innovation Norway to retain this certification. This time, Geilo achieved the certification under the latest version of the standard, version 3.0, which includes updated measurements and plans for increased sustainability in tourism. This certification marks a significant milestone in Geilo's commitment to preserving its natural environment while offering an exceptional tourism experience for visitors from around the world.

"The recognition as a Sustainable Destination is a testament to Geilo's dedication to providing a positive travel experience that respects the environment and the local community. Visitors to Geilo can now enjoy their stay knowing that they are supporting a destination that prioritizes efforts to become more sustainable. Geilo warmly welcomes everyone to experience the magnificent nature and rich culture that the destination has to offer, while also contributing to preserving it for future generations." 
- Heidi Stevning, CEO of Visit Geilo.

For us, sustainability is about balancing excellent guest experiences, local value creation, preserving our nature, and ensuring that Geilo and Hol Municipality are great places to live and grow up for our children. We achieve this through knowledge, dialogue, and collaboration.

Hallingskarvet
© © Paul Lockhart
Tips for leaving no trace while traveling
These 10 principles guide our work for sustainability in tourism (Norwegian)

Environmental Lighthouse

Visit Geilo is Eco-Lighthouse certified. This means that Visit Geilo's environmental standards and procedures meet the criteria set by the Eco-Lighthouse Foundation. We can therefore document that strict criteria in the areas of working environment, procurement, energy, transport, waste, emissions, and aesthetics are satisfied. Twenty of our members are Eco-Lighthouse certified, and we work every day to increase this number.

Do you want to certify your business? Miljøfyrtårn-logo

Visit Geilo has been Eco-Lighthouse certified since 2013 and has worked extensively with the responsibility for the Sustainable Destination Geilo project. We can therefore assist in connecting you with the right people in Hallingdal for courses, certifiers, and potential support for the project.

Contact us at [email protected] or phone +47 32 09 59 00.

These members of Visit Geilo are environmentally certified: 

  • Amfi Geilo
  • Bardøla Fjelltun AS
  • Elektro 12:24
  • Elektroservice Hallingdal Installasjon AS
  • Geilo Turbusser AS
  • Geilolia AS
  • Haugastøl Turistsenter
  • Høve Støtt Hallingdal AS
  • Maxbo Geilo
  • Montér Geilo
  • SkiGeilo AS
  • Sjåstad Maskin AS
  • Skue Sparebank AS avd. Geilo
  • Sparebank 1 Hallingdal Valdres
  • Sparebank1 Hallingdal Valdres - Geilo Fjellmegleren
  • Sport1 Geilo
  • Storestølen Fjellhotell
  • Utekveikja Energi
  • Vestlia Resort AS
  • Øen Turistsenter

Geilo 2030

Everything is connected and together we are strong

The tourism strategy Geilo 2030 aims to ensure that we develop the destination Geilo in a balanced and sustainable way in the years to come. The work on developing a new tourism strategy began in 2018, with the strategy process Geilo 2023, which has laid the foundation for Geilo 2030. It has been important in this work to involve a wide range of stakeholders in the municipality, and various actors from the tourism, trade, and crafts industries, cultural actors, sports clubs, Hol municipality, cabin owners, and the local population have contributed to the strategy work. 

The strategy defines seven goals for Geilo by 2030:

  • Geilo is a more sustainable destination.
  • Geilo is a community where it is attractive to live.
  • Geilo is a complete year-round destination.
  • Geilo aims to be the leading alpine and winter destination.
  • Geilo is a destination you can reach and stay at without using a car.
  • Geilo excels in hospitality.
  • It is easy to get information about and book activities and accommodation in Geilo.
Geilo 2030
Tourism Strategy Geilo 2030 (Norwegian)
Tourism Strategy Geilo 2030 (Norwegian, revised version)

Sub-projects of Geilo 2030

To ensure that Geilo achieves its goals by 2030, five strategic main areas have been identified. Various sub-projects have been initiated for each strategic main area, which will work to ensure that Geilo not only reaches its goals but also lives up to the destination's vision by 2030. The sub-projects have working groups representing the municipality, tourism operators, activity providers, cultural actors, voluntary associations, and organizations. 

Annual Report for Sustainable Destinations 2023-2024

Geilo dronebilde
© © Paul Lockhart

The sustainability destination annual report provides an overview of Geilo's significant efforts in sustainable destination development during 2023 and the first months of 2024. In this work, there are many stakeholders involved, including Hol Municipality, the destination company, and tourism operators, both small and large.

Geilo, which received the Sustainable Destination certificate for the first time in 2016, has maintained its strong commitment to making the destination even more sustainable through re-certification in 2020 and most recently in 2023. The next re-certification is planned by the end of 2026, and in the period leading up to this, Geilo enters a phase of intensive work to become an even more sustainable destination.

Annual Report for Sustainable Destination 2023-2024 (Norwegian)
The Citizen Survey 2023 (Norwegian)

Responsible Marketing

Visit Geilo has signed the Greenwashing Poster and is committed to following its ten principles in all communication regarding Geilo's own sustainability efforts. Additionally, Visit Geilo has developed its own guidelines for responsible marketing. Here are some guidelines on how you can be a good guest in Geilo.

The Future Climate of Hol Municipality

Universal design and accessibility in Geilo

Get useful information and tips on universal design and accessibility in Geilo. Our goal is to make the destination accessible to everyone,

Read more