Traveling sustainably with Matkapojat
Sustainability for the trip with Matkapojat
Sustainability for the trip
Matkapojat
is Finland's largest seller of boat and trips to the Baltics and Scandinavia. We
have been operating in the industry for more than 40 years. As a 100% Finnish owned
business, it is important for us to operate in an ecologically, socially, and
economically sustainable way. We have been worthy of the trust of our customers
and partners since 1977 and we want to remain a high-quality and reliable
company. We make sure that we keep up with the development and take care of the
best possible travel arrangements from start to finish.
Safety
A package
tour is a safe choice for passengers, as we follow the general package travel
conditions negotiated by the Association of Finnish
Travel Industry (SMAL) and the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority
(FCCA). In the general package travel conditions there are agreed, e.g. the right to
cancel the trip, the payment of the price and compensation issues. Matkapojat
Oy provides safety for you in unexpected situations around the clock. The
package tour is safe and reliable for the customer. Passengers without
companion and those who do not speak the language of the destination can also participate
our trips. Many of our tour packages by air include transportation to the
destination and the services of a Finnish-speaking guide. Planning a trip is
easy and you don’t have to worry about the details of your holiday trip.
Sustainable tourism
We take responsibility for the environment and therefore minimizing the negative environmental impact of tourism is important to us. The greatest environmental impact of tourism consists of the mode of travel and the length of the journey, which can be influenced. Short-distance travel to the Baltics is more environmentally friendly and more ecological than air travel. Bus travel and group travel are a better option than private cars. We strive to fully sell our buses and do not drive empty buses. We choose partners who are active in sustainable development. Together with our partners, we have taken steps to enable safer bus travel.
Ecological tourism
Practical tips on the most sustainable choices:
• Travel to
short-distance destinations, e.g., to the Baltics or in Finland
• Choose a sustainable hotel
• Take advantage of public transport, such as a bus instead of your own car, explore the destination on foot or by bicycle
• Choose a modern fleet, e.g., low-emission LNG carriers, or new emission efficient aircraft if possible
• Direct flights
• Pack less and lighten the weight of your suitcase (Finnair: Packing 5 kg less can reduce your carbon footprint by up to 5%)
• Prefer local food and local services
• Turn off lights and extra electrical appliances when you do not need them
• Think about the need to clean and change towels daily
• Prefer tap water instead of bottled water where possible
• Avoid paper invoices and printed travel information
Environmentally certified hotels
By choosing a Green Key hotel, you are involved in promoting more sustainable tourism. At least the following hotels in Matkapojat Oy production have the Green Key brand:
Tallinn: Radisson Collection Hotel Tallinn, Original Sokos Hotel Viru, Park Inn by Radisson Meriton Conference & Spa Hotel Tallinn, Nordic Hotel Forum, Tallink City Hotel, Tallink Spa & Conference Hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Olümpia, Tallink Express Hotel, Kalev Spa
Estonia: Vihula Manor
Pärnu: Hedon SPA & Hotel, Hedon Spa & Hotel
Tartu: Hotel Lydia
Riga: Radisson Blu Daugava, Radisson Blu Latvia
Swan labeled hotels
In Finland the swan label is an indication of the hotel's sustainable operation. The brand imposes restrictions on, among other things, the hotel's energy and water consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, efficient waste sorting, and chemicals used in cleaning, dishwashing, and laundry.
Mariehamn:
Ålandhotels Hotel Pommern
GreenStar carbon neutral hotels in Finland
The
underlying idea of the GreenStar hotel chain is the ecology built into
hotel accommodation, which saves both the environment and costs. By
doing so, GreenStar offers its guests a high-quality and smartly
cost-effective accommodation service in the Finnish city center. Read
more about GreenStar hotels.
Joensuu: GreenStar Hotel Joensuu
Jyväskylä: GreenStar Hotel Jyväskylä
Lahti: GreenStar Hotel Lahti
Vaasa: GreenStar Hotel VaasaTallink Silja
Our partner Tallink Silja has worked long-term for the benefit of the environment and the Baltic Sea. The principles of environmental protection are an important and integral part of the company's strategy.
- The new environmentally friendly Megastar (and My Star; starts operation during spring 2022) use LNG as fuel and complies with new and stricter emission regulations in ECA areas such as the Baltic Sea. The ISO 14001 environmental management system certificate awarded to Tallink Silja in 2008 will help to further improve environmental protection.
- In 2018, Tallink Silja started a food waste project with WWF Finland. The project will streamline the operations of ships’ kitchens to further reduce food waste.
- The MSC certification of responsibly caught fish and shellfish is a continuation of the Tallink Group's work supporting sustainable development. The certification allows customers to ensure that products labeled with the blue MSC eco-label in ship restaurants come from sustainable fish stocks and that sustainable fishing methods have been used in the fishery.
- The Tallink Group has taken steps to phase out eggs produced in caged hens by 2025.
Viking Line
Our partner Viking Line wants to be a pioneer in the utilization of new solutions that reduce environmental impact and works for the Baltic Sea in many ways.
- The newest ships in the Baltic Sea, Viking Grace (and Viking Glory; starts operation in March 2022), are characterized by modern design, concepts for the future, a high level of service and consistent environmental thinking. The Viking Grace was the first passenger ship in its size to use liquid, completely sulfur-free LNG natural gas.
- Since 2014, Viking Line has been running a campaign to donate part of the proceeds from plastic bags sold in ship stores to environmental work in the Baltic Sea. The bags are made of recycled plastic, and in 2018 the company decided to donate 50,000 euros to two environmental organizations: Keep the Archipelago Tidy and the Baltic Sea Foundation of the University of Helsinki.
- Viking Line's ships do not discharge wastewater or bilge water into the sea. All wastewater is pumped ashore wastewater treatment plants.
- Instead of using environmentally friendly primers for cleaning, divers clean the bottoms of Viking Line's vessels several times a year by brushing.
Traveling by air
Direct
flights are a better option than stopovers. Whenever possible, our flights are
direct flights. Most of our flights are operated by Finnair. Finnair's
emissions have decreased every year due to operational improvements,
technological progress and precise route and fleet planning.
Ecological sustainability
We strive to reduce the amount of waste and sort the waste that will inevitably be generated. Where possible, we strive to use nearby operators, services, or products. We strive to reduce paper usage and, in many cases, such as billing, we use electronic options.
Staff and working conditions
Matkapojat Oy employs about 50 people a year and we also have a financial responsibility to take care of our company’s profitability, staff, and stakeholders. Matkapojat Oy comply with the collective agreement for travel agencies. Important values for Matkapojat Oy are fair collective agreements and the health, safety and training of workers. Matkapojat Oy adhere to the equality and non-discrimination plan. The workplace has a shop steward and an occupational health and safety representative. We offer free occupational health care and a lunch voucher for our staff.
Cultural values and natural biodiversity
Matkapojat Oy makes every possible effort to ensure that the destinations it selects care for and respect the preservation of local indigenous cultural values and customs. We also seek to instruct our clients on how to respect the customary culture of the destination and its valuable cultural and architectural traditions. We also remind our clients of the importance of preserving the natural biodiversity of the destination.
