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Tourism in Norwegian Lapland has become a main source of employment and income, replacing traditional industries such as forestry. Working within this growth industry in rural and remote areas means that we must take a great deal of responsibility; socially, environmentally and economically. We fully appreciate the impact of tourist visits on local communities and their residents and strive to ensure that we are having a positive effect.
Karasjok is the centre of Sámi culture in Norway. A great deal of time and money has been invested in this area to educate both visitors and young Sámi people in the traditions and skills that have been passed down for generations. We have included a great deal of interaction with the Sámi culture and include a visit to the Sapmi Cultural Centre.
In addition we encourage our clients to get involved in local events and activities whilst staying in Karasjok which help to sustain traditional values and customs. We always encourage our clients to respect and embrace the lives and culture of local inhabitants by learning a few important words: hello, goodbye, please, thank you etc.
In all of our destinations we ensure that we use local suppliers, enabling locally owned businesses and the economies in which they work to benefit directly. The hotel Rica, although part of a larger chain of hotels, is Scandinavian owned and provides a vital source of employment throughout Norway in areas where employment opportunities can be scarce. Their restaurant serves a traditional menu with many local dishes available and the décor throughout the building takes inspiration from the Sámi culture.
Through the tourism multiplier effect, this all helps to generate incomes and employment where the drift might otherwise be towards larger employment areas such as towns and cities. Our use of small businesses means that the tourism income, generated by our presence, stays where it should, in the local economy. We firmly believe in paying a fair price for all the services provided by our suppliers regardless of where they are in the world.
Our holidays rely on visiting beautiful and un-spoilt areas. Naturally we wish to maintain the natural settings in which we work, not just for the future of our company, but also for future generations. We always insist that our local providers are equally conscious of this need.
We do appreciate that some may feel that snowmobiles should not be included in such itineraries however in areas such as Karasjok they are a way of life. The alternatives to snowmobiles would in most cases be large, gas-guzzling off road vehicles. All snowmobiles are regularly serviced and kept as fuel efficient as possible. The snowmobile service industry is also another vital source of employment in this remote area.
The founder of this company started as a family summer operator over 10 years ago. When he started adding a few Lapland holidays he was amazed at how popular they were and, avoiding the ski resorts, he set up more snow holidays in privately-owned accommodations in the wilderness. Today, these places are filled every winter with people living the dream - going on husky safaris across frozen lakes and cooking on log fires beneath the glorious Northern Lights. Many visitors book these holidays as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but find themselves returning again and again, unable to resist the magnificent snowscapes.
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We invite every traveller who books a holiday via us to send in a review. Because we don't run the holidays they're completely independent and unedited... remember to read between the lines though, as two people on the same holiday can have different views!
