Lapland husky safari and activity holiday, Finland
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
Saija is a small destination and the level of tourism is closely matched to the environment in which the activities take place. It is all very well managed and trails are all well maintained.
All the wooden accommodation is built from sustainable sourced timber. There is a strict recycling policy in place and a leave no trace principal is applied to all activities.
Community
Tourism in Finnish Lapland has become the main source of employment and income replacing traditional industries such as forestry. Development from a period of extractive industry to an industrial society has come about quickly. In 1950 the largest part of Laplands inhabitants lived in rural areas and more than half the workforce worked in forestry and agriculture. Today 65 % of the workforce are in the service industry, 22% in processing and 10 % in primary production.
This huge growth in tourism and service provision has been developed in conjunction with a long-term sustainable tourism plan with one of the primary objectives being to maintain nature in its natural state while guaranteeing the traditional way of life. Much of this has been achieved along with membership of EU development programmes, aimed at diversifying sources of livelihood, effective usage of resources and to increase export.
Approximately a quarter of Lapland's 100 000 strong workforce was unemployed in 1997. Promoting entrepreneurship, ongoing re-education of the workforce and development of the educational system to suit the needs of enterprises is continuing. The target is to diversify the sources of livelihood, increase the value of refinement production and develop new enterprises particularly in the area of tourism. National measures as well as EU-programme measures support this objective.
We embrace this philosophy, employing local activity providers and using only locally owned hotels. In this manner we help to maintain jobs in an area where unemployment was, until recently, very high. Additionally, the use of local suppliers ensures that the tourism spend filters through to local economies via the tourism multiplier effect.
Saijia Lodge is absolutely no exception. It is one of the most peaceful destinations we offer and so the responsibility attached with that is great. The environment is pristine and the accommodation is locally owned and cherished. The food served is locally produced and their focus is on traditional regional dishes which give guests a great insight into the culture and traditions of the area.
Saija provides a vital source of employment to local people and is run by a delightful couple whose heart and soul has gone into their business. Their knowledge and passion of the area makes Saija all the more special and their passion for their 100 sled dogs is totally evident.
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