Hiiumaa submitted its environmental label, the Hiiumaa Green Label, for the Green Destinations TOP100 2024 success stories competition, highlighting its consistent and effective implementation. Hiiumaa made it into the TOP100. The jury recognized the story of how the launch and implementation of the Hiiumaa Green Label have instilled an environmentally conscious mindset among local businesses and promoted eco-friendly solutions. This was seen as a worthy example for other destinations to follow.
Green Destinations, an international organization that awards green certifications to tourism destinations, selects the TOP 100 success stories annually as one of its recognition methods. From all the stories submitted by eco-friendly tourism destinations worldwide, the jury picks the 100 most inspiring actions or achievements. The stories are divided into six categories, and at the Green Destinations Annual Conference, the top three in each category are awarded. Since more than 500 destinations with the Green Destinations label can submit stories, making it into the TOP100 is already a significant achievement.
From Estonia, ten stories were submitted to the competition. Hiiumaa, Lahemaa, Järvamaa, Tallinn, Tartu, and Viljandimaa secured spots in the TOP100.
Estonia’s first regional environmental label, the Hiiumaa Green Label, was developed and launched in 1995 as part of the EcoIslands project. The creators aimed to highlight the eco-friendly products and services of local Hiiumaa businesses and promote the use of local materials. After almost three decades, the label has fostered an understanding among Hiiumaa businesses, consumers, and visitors that sustainability is not just a buzzword or a logo on a package. The Green Label represents a series of actions and conscious choices implemented according to environmental protection and sustainability principles.
Kristel Peikel, the head of the Hiiumaa Tourism Cluster, noted that sustainable thinking is particularly important for Hiiumaa, whose geographical location puts it in a unique situation compared to other regions. “Due to the island’s location, every product and service in Hiiumaa must consider the additional resource consumption and environmental impact caused by sea or air transportation. Therefore, it is crucial to keep supply chains short, maximize the use of local materials, and minimize waste generation,” explained Peikel.
Today, approximately fifty businesses and service providers in Hiiumaa carry the Green Label, ranging from tourism farms to natural cosmetics and organic food producers. According to Peikel, the Hiiumaa Green Label has become a source of pride for the island, proving that even small communities can significantly raise environmental awareness and promote a sustainable economy.
In 2023, Hiiumaa was awarded the Green Destinations gold level, confirming that the destination meets the requirements for preserving and protecting natural and cultural heritage and that sustainability principles are followed in providing tourism services. Hiiumaa also made it to the TOP100 success stories last year, with its story about organizing waste collection and recycling for visitors, and the year before that for developing an electric bicycle rental service and charging stations. Both of these initiatives have also been awarded the Hiiumaa Green Label.
