Pressemeddelelse fra Messukeskus
The Matka Nordic Travel Fair, which seeks to be the most responsible travel-industry event in the world, has been working on responsibility for a long time. Next, the event intends to be an international example of responsible practices in the travel industry.
“The actions taken by Messukeskus to save energy, increase the use of renewable energy, and reduce waste and increase recycling help us to work towards our goal of being the most responsible travel-industry event in the world. Our goal is to be 110% carbon neutral in ten years. We already recycle 99% of our waste, and in our catering, we will, in the future, continue to promote vegetarian food and leftover brunches. Already now, 85% of the food we serve at fairs is locally sourced and made from Finnish ingredients. In Finland, we get to enjoy the world’s cleanest tap water, which is why we also encourage our international Matka Nordic Travel Fair visitors to bring their own water bottles to fill on site, instead of drinking bottled water. If necessary, you can also buy a bottle at the fair”, says the sales group manager at the Matka Nordic Travel Fair, Anna Suominen.
Responsibility and sustainability highlighted in the Matka Nordic Travel Fair programme
The Helsinki Declaration, which was first signed ten years ago, is now being renewed at the Matka Nordic Travel Fair. The first version has been signed by more than one hundred actors in the travel industry, and the new version is intended to remind the industry of the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism and to encourage new actors to make a commitment to responsible practices.
For the first time, the Matka Nordic Travel Fair will feature the Sustainable Travel Competition for exhibitors participating in the fair, which seeks sustainable travel products, services or practices. The competition finalists will be presented to fair visitors on the main stage of the Matka Nordic Travel Fair. The competition jury will review the finalists to select the winner, who will receive a €3,000 prize, which is donated by the Finnish Fair Foundation.
The Maata pitkin (‘By Land’) travel fair, which achieved great popularity a year ago, will now be held in conjunction with the Matka Nordic Travel Fair. Throughout the fair, there will be various talks given on land travel.
More responsible fair participation for partners and customers
“Every year, almost 1000 companies from all over the world take part in the Matka Nordic Travel Fair, so we make every effort to make fair participation as responsible and environmentally sustainable as possible. Our location next to the Pasila train station means that we are accessible by public transport. We also encourage participants to exercise forethought over the amounts and materials of brochures and products they bring to the fair”, Suominen adds.
The Matka Nordic Travel Fair also acknowledges its social responsibility. The collaboration between the Matka Nordic Travel Fair and UNICEF Finland will continue in 2020. UNICEF will not only participate in the fair with its own stand, but it will also train companies participating in the fair to provide the best possible customer service. The Huilipalvelu (‘Stand-in’) service, implemented in collaboration with the Vocational College Live, serves both companies participating in the fair and students’ on-the-job learning.
More information:
Matka Nordic Travel Fair, communications manager Eva Kiviranta, tel. +358 407756609,
The Matka Nordic Travel Fair, the largest travel fair in the Nordic countries, will be held from 16 to 19 January 2020 at Messukeskus in Helsinki. The international travel sales event Matka Workshop Day will kick off the Matka Nordic Travel Fair on 15 January 2020. To be held concurrently with the Matka Nordic Travel Fair is the Helsinki Caravan fair, from 17 to 19 January 2020. | www.matkamessut.fi | www.facebook.com/matkamessut | @matkatravelfair | #matka2020
Kontakt:
tiedottaja Eva Kiviranta tlf.: +358 40 775 6609 email: eva.kiviranta@messukeskus.com
Læs hele pressemeddelelsen på Via Ritzau her: https://www.sttinfo.fi/tiedote/matka-nordic-travel-fair-strives-to-be-the-most-responsible-travel-event-in-the-world?releaseId=69872556
