Saaga Travel Oy has received the Travelife Partner recognition for sustainable tourism
The Travelife Partner level award was received by Saaga Travel Oy on June 15 2023. The award recognizes the long-term efforts of Saaga Travel regarding sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.
Saaga Travel is the first company in Northern Ostrobothnia and Lapland to receive Travelife Partner recognition. In total, more than 20 Finnish tour operators have achieved Travelife Partner or Certified status. The list of companies can be found on Travelife website.
Saaga Travel Oy complies with more than 100 criteria, related to an operator’s office management, product range, international business partners and customer information. The Travelife Partner level standard is covering the ISO 26000 Corporate Social Responsibility themes, including environment, biodiversity, human rights, and labour relation.
Saaga Travel Oy has participated in the EU-funded SUSTOUR project that runs from 2020 – 2023 and aims to promote sustainability among the European tour operator sector through a business led approach. The project supports over 600 small and medium-sized enterprises from 35 European countries in improving their sustainability performance through training, coaching and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. In Finland, the SUSTOUR project is coordinated by the Association of Finnish Travel Industry SMAL, of which Saaga Travel is a member.
Achieving Travelife Partner status has required a comprehensive review of the company's operations and extensive reporting to Travelife. Saaga Travel has been supported in the development of sustainable tourism by long-term tourism professional Ulla Anttila from Kiwalo.
- Travelife is an internationally known sustainable tourism program in the travel industry. The Travelife Partner recognition strengthens our position in the direction of our international tour operator customers. As a tour operator, we prefer companies in our subcontracting chains that are involved in a sustainable tourism program, says Saaga Travel's sales manager responsible for international incoming tourism Johanna Salmela.
Mr. Naut Kusters, manager of Travelife for Tour Operators, “I am delighted to see that sustainability in the tour operator sector is obtaining momentum. The Partner award of Saaga Travel Oy will inspire other companies in Europe to follow the same path’.
Travelife is the leading international sustainability certification for the travel sector. More than 35 national travel associations are promoting the scheme to their members including, SMAL, APAVT, UHPA, ANVR, ABTA, PATA and more.
About Travelife
Travelife is a certification system, dedicated to achieving sustainable practices within the tourism industry. It provides companies with realistic sustainability goals, tools and solutions to implement positive change within their businesses and supply chains. Travelife is managed by ABTA – The Travel Association in the UK - and by ECEAT Projects - a not-for-profit organisation based in The Netherlands.
Travelife for Tour operators and Travel agents: the scheme provides online training and practical tools for sustainability management and certification. The training and online tools are suitable for tour operators and travel agencies of any size and cover all management aspects of the travel company business including office operations, the supply chain, destinations and consumers. Upon submitting a report in compliance with the Travelife standard (based on an independent onsite audit), the company can obtain the “Travelife Certified” status. By meeting the Travelife standard for tour operators and travel agencies, a travel agency can obtain the status of "Travelife Partner", or upon submitting a report in compliance with the Travelife standard based on an independent onsite audit, "Travelife Certified". Saaga Travel Oy has achieved Travelife Partner status.
Further information
Saaga Travel Ltd.
Johanna Salmela, tel +358 40 826 2345, [email protected]
Saaga Travel sustainable travel program
Travelife for Tour operators & Travel agents
Naut Kusters, +31 6 48805 475, [email protected]
www.travelife.info