Wellbeing Tourism is tourism that supports harmony and balance of body, mind, and soul for guests and hosts, in a sustainable interaction with the local community, and environment.
Intention. Wellbeing tourism implicates an intention to do good, to have a positive impact on people (guests and hosts), on the surroundings, on the planet, in the present, and in the future. When you do good, you feel good and develop a state of wellbeing.
A wellbeing host is aware, honest, kind, caring, and joyful.
Six Pillars of Wellbeing
Wellbeing tourism has six main aspects: environmental, social, economical, body, mind, and soul. They are presented here below with examples from tourism businesses and suggestions on changes towards increased wellbeing.
1. Environmental Wellbeing
What is environmental wellbeing? Environmental wellbeing is about benefiting from planetary resources without compromising the function and health of the ecosystems. Taking responsibility for the environment includes actions like supporting conservation of the natural heritage and of biodiversity, limiting waste and avoiding pollution. Environmental wellbeing ensures regenerative ecosystems and sufficient natural resources for all, including non-human-beings, also in a long-term perspective.
How can it be achieved? We all have an impact on the environment. The actions of your company matter. Acquire knowledge on how to be more sustainable and start systematically acting more environmentally friendly. Focus your effort on the actions that will be most effective. This could include minimizing waste, choosing biological degradable materials, using green energy, reducing transport, and limiting greenhouse gas emissions. Let your consideration permeate your entire business and inform about your actions to inspire others.
2. Social Wellbeing
What is social wellbeing? Social wellbeing is about honoring human rights, individual freedom and integrity, showing equality and acceptance towards oneself and others, promoting intercultural understanding and contributing to community development and resilience. It implies a respectful management of local resources and caring for the local tangible and intangible cultural heritage. It involves collaboration and positive interaction with others, providing ethical and fair working conditions, and supporting local cooperation for the common good.
How can it be achieved? Your attitude and actions can contribute to social wellbeing and a sustainable and vibrant society. You can for example connect to other companies and organizations to network and co-create. You can exchange knowledge, labour, products, and services. You can be open to support dreams of self-realization to improve the quality of life for guests and colleges. You can in general engage in positive interaction, take responsibility for others and for your community, and make everyone feel welcome and included.
3. Economic Wellbeing
What is economic wellbeing? Economic wellbeing builds on circular principles that ensures viable and long-term economic prosperity for companies and the society, while not compromising human health and ecosystem functionality. It benefits stakeholders and the community by contributing to the development of creative work environments, fair and empowering trades, and strong and positive relationships with other actors through co-creation, identification of mutual benefits, and sharing.
How can it be achieved? Through economic wellbeing, you fulfil your own economic growth while supporting prosperity in society for instance through providing fair and stable income to your employees, creating jobs for the local community, supporting local suppliers, increasing number of guests through community and collaboration, and co-creating solutions for the community together with your stakeholders.
4. Wellbeing for the Body
What is wellbeing for the body? Physical wellbeing is generated by activities and products that have positive effects on the body such as exercise, nourishing wholesome foods and adequate rest. This can result in increased vitality, resilience, immunity, and longevity. Wellbeing for the body can also be in the form of pleasure derived from gentle pleasant stimulation of the senses and touch. Experiencing physical pleasure may induce a state of relaxation and positive emotions such as joy.
How can it be achieved? To achieve wellbeing for the body you may enjoy nutritious, healthy food and beverages, spend time in nature, exercise, get a massage or other treatments, relax, breathe fresh air, and it is also important to ensure enough sleep. Wellbeing is also the pleasure of the senses – soft fabrics, pleasant lighting, comfortable sounds, and nice smell, as well as joy, laughter, and love. Intimacy such as a hug has positive effects on the body’s chemistry, and make you feel great.
5. Wellbeing for the Mind
What is wellbeing for the mind? Mental wellbeing is about our ability to manage the activity and state of our minds as well as our feelings. It is supported by a harmonious composition of words, colors, shapes, sounds and smells, as well as conscious breath and conscious movement. It improves the quality of our thoughts, has a positive effect on the character of our feelings, and on our ability to remain centered and lucid regardless of the external conditions. It brings calmness, serenity, clarity, ease, awareness, insights, inspiration, creativity, and optimism.
How can it be achieved? Our minds are almost continuously engaged in thoughts and most of them are repeated. You can nourish your thoughts with new knowledge, storytelling, positive images, inspiring conversations and positivity from yourself and others. You can also give your mind a break to achieve wellbeing for the mind – try to pause the thinking for a moment and just be. This allows for new ideas, creativity, joy, easy decision making, and flow. Effective methods to reach a state of being are mindfulness and meditation.
6. Wellbeing for the Soul
What is wellbeing for the soul? Wellbeing for the soul, or inner wellbeing, is related to the connection to our essence, to life itself, and to the source of our creation. Delight for the soul is nourished by heart-felt connection and presence both with ourselves and with others, mental and emotional balance, being in nature, and moments of wonder. It can bring a sense of being connected to something greater than oneself and having a purpose in the world. It may also result in greater consciousness, a sense of love and self-worth, increased intuition, inner peace, fulfilment, compassion and bliss.
How can it be achieved? You may understand your soul as your essence or true self. A part of you that is constant, no matter what thoughts, emotions and life circumstances you are experiencing. Expressing your true self, being heard, seen, and accepted just the way you are, nourishes the soul. You can connect to your soul when you feel unconditional love such as when interacting with children and animals, and when you experience a deep connection with others or the nature. It can also be when you do what you love the most and are in flow, forgetting about time and space.
Hosting values
As a host or provider of tourism products and services you are encouraged to follow these five hosting values to increase wellbeing to your customers. They are; being aware, honest, kind, caring and joyful. The hosting values are general relational values that are essential for creating harmony and balance.
How to Develop Wellbeing Tourism
Ideas for Topics and Initiatives
Here follows advice and recommendations for you who are working in the tourism industry or in a tourism related business and wants to develop wellbeing tourism.
Learn more!
Download the pdf “How to Develop Wellbeing Tourism” to learn more and receive tips on how to become a Wellbeing host.
Protecting nature A balanced nature is fundamental for everything living. If we all actively protect nature, it will continuously supply us with many important ecosystem services such as drinking water, fertile soil for food production, good health, and pleasurable experiences.
To contribute, inform and help visitors understand the connections in nature. When you inform your guest about places of interest educate them about sensitive environments, protected plants, and animals, and how to behave in the nature in the best way. By arousing interest in the nearby natural and cultural environments, the guest also gets a richer experience and an increased awareness to bring home.
Materials Through your conscious choice of materials and products you can make a significant impact. You can choose local materials and products and thus minimize transport and CO2(g) footprint; you can choose natural and healthy materials to minimize the risk of exposing your guests and employees to hazardous substances; you can choose materials and products that are produced under proper and healthy working conditions. When appropriate, find and reuse materials and products on the secondary market.
It can be challenging to keep track of all supply levels and what the content lists of products really mean. A good solution for this is to choose materials that are certified to be environmentally and socially sustainable.
Reducing waste Almost everything you do or produce generates waste. Look into how you can optimize the use of resources, thus consuming as little as possible and making the most of it. By optimizing your purchases, you probably reduce your need of buying new items, and therefore you minimize future waste.
Start up a conversation with your suppliers about packaging. Items you purchase are often delivered to you in single use, non-recyclable packaging. Avoid buying unnecessary disposables items such as plastic cups and paper plates.
Clean Transport
Means of travel The travel industry strongly affects the climate. The greenhouse gas emissions from the travel industry are largely due to flying as aviation accounts for up to 75% of the total emissions. Aviation is the most polluting form of transport per pasenger-kilometre and fossil-fueled vehicles come second. The more people in each vehicle the lesser the environmental impact per person. In general, traveling by train and coach is the most climate friendly way of travelling, apart from fuel free transportation like biking, of course.
The information about local public transport may influence your guests to rethink their choice of transport. Provide a summary of possibilities as a service to your guests.
Travel at the destination Your guests are likely to make day excursions. They may go sightseeing, shopping, and visit places of interest. With knowledge and valuable information, you can help your guests to make their travel at your destination as sustainable as possible: lend out bikes, inform about public transport, provide electric cars or charging stations. Promote nearby experiences and thus minimize your guests’ travel.
Act Local
Promote local activities and products After visiting your business, your guests will probably continue their travel to experience more. Help your guests discover nearby points of interest to make them stay longer in your area or even stay longer with you. The turnover per guest within the region will increase, the longer the guest stays. And the more positive experiences a guest has during the stay, the more likely it is that they will return or recommend the destination to others. Creating a network with your neighbouring companies and promoting each other is likely to be beneficial for your business as well as the surrounding community.
Be an ambassador for your area Appreciate where you live and what you do – and show it. Focus on what is positive and tell others about it and you will make your guests enthusiastic about it as well. By acting as an ambassador for your area you will inspire others to engage in the community. Praise them for their contributions and congratulate them on their success. Create products and services that you and your community can be proud of. When you establish an authentic, high quality product, you add to the attractiveness of your region.
Equality
Wellbeing culture – Employer wellbeing Employer wellbeing begins with your own attitude and commitment, but it is together with your employees that you form the social wellbeing culture in your organization. The prerequisite for creating a sustainable workplace is based on following the national governmental labour protection act. This implies providing a safe work environment, employ qualified staff, and offer fair wages that are independent of gender and ethnicity.
As a united team you work with a sense of mutual respect with the intention to do good. It may support to keep an intention to follow the Wellbeing Hosting Values: awareness, honesty, kindness, caring and joy. You as the employer ensure you are inclusive and transparent and that you make your staff feel seen and heard. A high level of wellbeing for the employees positively affects their health, creativity, and productivity. It also increases their potential to create positive relationships with others, cope with everyday life challenges, and that they stay and become good ambassadors for your business as well as for the region.
Social responsibility The first step towards social responsibility is to be aware of the fact, that your behaviour has an impact on people and society – both on the small scale and globally. You can decide to make a positive impact and inspire others to follow your examples. Have a global approach to your social responsibilities and consider the consequences for the world around you of the choices you make. Integrate it into your business strategy and practice it in all your actions and interactions. In this way you can contribute to balance between economic growth, social wellbeing and the environment.
Indoor Environment
Design and furnishing Good design can offer wellbeing by being ergonomically correct, beautiful, easy to use and clean. Thoughtful design and choice of materials can increase comfort, pleasure, and efficiency for employees and guests.
Although our lives largely have been moved to indoor environments, our need to be in contact with nature has not disappeared. Getting a sense of nature is a biological need for us humans. Bring the nature indoor. Creating lush indoor environments and taking people closer to nature increases both physical and mental wellbeing.
Atmosphere Atmosphere is what is created from the interaction between a person and the surroundings such as a room. You can use a variety of elements at your venue to enhance the desired atmosphere. In this way you can improve the state of mind of your guests and nourish their soul. Pleasant lighting, for instance, can contribute to a welcoming, friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Adequate daylight adds to a healthy environment. Colours are known to stimulate an emotional response. Blue shades, for example, enhance feelings of peace and serenity. Sound and acoustics are also important factors for a space to feel comfortable.
Following the above, people contribute to the atmosphere of a space. Consequently, it is important to consider what you and your staff exude to the atmosphere of your office, business or venue. Are you emitting positive thoughts and feelings – such as joy, friendliness, and curiosity?
Health
Physical movement Physical activity and exercise have both immediate and long-term health benefits. Most importantly, regular activity can improve your quality of life. On a long term it improves your overall health and immune defence, and reduce the risk of disease.
Make physical activity easily accessible and inspire your guests and colleagues to move their bodies. Suggest walking routes, rent out bikes, offer yoga mats, or put on dance music. You will get more happy guests – and they will likely sleep better at night.
Access to nature Being in nature is soothing for body, mind, and soul. Being in nature, or even viewing scenes of nature, reduces anger and stress while inducing positive feelings and promoting positive behaviour like kindness and generosity. Being in nature makes you feel better emotionally, and it contributes to your physical wellbeing – reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and stress hormones. It can also make you feel that you are a part of something larger and get a sense of meaning in life.
Provide information on how to access the nature in your area. Suggest walking routes, specific places, and viewpoints. In a city, have plants and flowers for people to enjoy and let people know where to find the nearest park.
Branding Wellbeing Tourism
Home of Wellbeing Brand
Learn more!
Download the booklet “Branding Wellbeing Tourism” to learn more about the brand Home of Wellbeing, and how to develop you own brand.
The regions around the Baltic Sea in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, and Lithuania are united by history and nature. Incredible landscapes that are clean, peaceful, and accessible is part of any visit to the South Baltic region. An increasing number of tourism businesses in the region are considering their impact on the environment and society and make sustainability a priority. Wellbeing companies design their tourism offers to support a healthy lifestyle, joyful encounters, peace of mind, and slow living. This forms the uniqueness of the South Baltic destination as a Home of Wellbeing.
A brand for the South Baltic Through collaboration in the South Baltic area, Wellbeing International brand destinations, companies and products that are in line will wellbeing, ‘Home of Wellbeing’. It makes us distinctive and memorable and stand out as a responsible and preferred destination in the eyes of the growing number of travellers who care about sustainability, health, and wellbeing.
You can become a Home of Wellbeing If you share the values of wellbeing, you may become a Home of Wellbeing. If you for example are a tourism agency, a restaurant, a hotel, a spa, a yoga-studio, or a seasonal small business; if you care about the environment; if you work towards a prosperous local community and think about how to contribute to the wellbeing of others – then you may become a component of the brand and a Home of Wellbeing. Together we can make a difference in the tourism industry.
Your brand – Finding the Core
A brand builds the reputation of a product, service, place, person, or organization. It creates awareness and identity and distinguishes your company and offers from others.
A brand is a summary of the feelings and thoughts you want your potential and actual customer to connect your company with. You can express it using a logo, symbol, slogan, and through your choice of colours, images, and words.
Make sure that your brand is an honest reflection of your business and its values so that you can keep your brand promise to the customers. In this way, customers will trust your brand which is key to its success.
Values, Visuals, and Narration
If your brand is well-defined and well communicated, customers will have a clear and positive understanding of your business and what they can expect to experience when buying your products and services.
In developing your brand, you can work with your brand values, visual brand identity, and brand narration. Together, these three components create the comprehensive feel, look, and tone of your company to your customers.
Brand values Through your brand values, you can connect to your customers on a deeper level. To define your values, you can ask yourself: What matters to me? What do I stand for? Customers who share your values are more likely to have a positive relationship with your brand.
Visual brand Your visual brand consists of your logotype, the colours you use in any kind of communication, and photos you use to illustrate your services and products. It can also include the appearance of your facilities, products, and people in the organisation. Consider how the various visual elements can express your values and the core of your business. Make sure that your visual identification system is uniform, consistent, and authentic.
Brand narration The use of storytelling can help customers connect emotionally to your brand. Storytelling is a narrative that weaves together facts and the emotions that your brand evokes. Use it to communicate the authenticity and values of your business. Use positive wording to create positive emotions in the customer.
Branding Natural and Cultural Wellbeing
The regions around the Baltic Sea in Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland, and Lithuania are united by history and nature. Together this forms the uniqueness of the South Baltic destination as a Home of Wellbeing. Incredible landscapes that are clean, peaceful, and accessible is part of any visit to the South Baltic region, and thus a central element in the branding. By including this in your branding, you bring in the characteristics of your destination, and you can express regional values and assets such as freedom, care for nature, joy of physical movement, creativity, and local produce.
You can further express wellbeing by integrating the uniqueness of your local area in your branding: local nature, cultural heritage, and traditions. Show your guests what they can experience only in your region. This could be special kinds of handicraft or events. Let your brand support the local heritage and it will support your brand as well.
How to Promote Wellbeing Tourism
Illustrating Wellbeing
Learn more!
Download the booklet “Branding Wellbeing Tourism” to learn more about the brand Home of Wellbeing, and how to develop you own brand.
Activities Wellbeing activities are those that are sustainable and support the wellbeing of body, mind and soul for your guests as well as for you and the surrounding community. Photos that illustrate these activities communicate that they can be carried out in harmony, alone, together with others, or with you as the host.
Wellbeing photos can show enjoyable experiences, calm and nourishing activities and positive interaction. They can show joy, connection and relaxation. They can also show physical activities carried out in beautiful spaces, or in cosy environments.
Companies & hosts You as a wellbeing host can let your photos communicate your care for the natural environment, your customers, staff and the surrounding community. Your photos should reflect the honesty in your business and your sustainable actions. Communicate all the good things you do in your photos. Show your customers how you interact, collaborate and co-create with others. Show your love and passion for what you do.
Offers, products & services If you share our values of wellbeing, you may become a Home of Wellbeing. If you are for example a tourism agency, a restaurant, a hotel, a spa, a yoga-studio, or a seasonal small business; If you care about the environment; If you work towards a prosperous local community and think about how to contribute to the wellbeing of others – then you may become part of the brand, Home of Wellbeing. Together we can make a difference.
Profile Image Style
A profiling image style is a visual language that gives your potential customers the right feelings and connection to what you aim to communicate. Photos are one of the strongest tools in marketing, they communicate many words. That is why it is good to be aware of what message you send with your photos. Your visual language should also differentiate you from other actors and other types of tourism.
On the following pages you will find some examples of aspects that are good to keep in mind when you want to communicate the feeling of wellbeing in your offers. Get inspired by our guidelines for motifs, composition, and colours. They can assist you in conveying calmness, honesty, warmth, and equality and help you visually connect yourself to the concept of wellbeing tourism.
Written & Verbal Communication
Words are powerful. Your words affect those who read your text or listen to what you are saying. They create thoughts and feelings in others. Your words and phrases inform but they also affect people’s focus and mood. Using positive words brings focus to what is positive and stimulates positive feelings. Negative words will bring focus to what is negative. By bringing attention to what is positive you nourish what is pleasant and good. It will add to the wellbeing of others – and of yourself.
When communicating to your potential customers, the wellbeing tourist target groups, you can use the wellbeing hosting values as a guideline and express that you are: aware, honest, kind, caring, and joyful. This will convey an impression of you and your business as being and providing wellbeing, and it will support your mission to attract visitors, collaboration partners and customers.
Let your communication tell a story about the offer you want to sell, and also about the wellbeing dimension of your services and products. How they improve wellbeing for body, mind, and soul and how they support a sustainable and flourishing natural environment and community.
It could be the story about the inspiring collaboration between partners behind your offer; how the ingredients are locally and sustainably sourced; or how your offer affects the pleasure and health of body and mind.
Presenting different wellbeing aspects will put your product in a larger and positive context. It makes a statement that you care – and that the customer supports a positive mission of bringing wellbeing to people and planet by buying your product.
Communicating online
Guidelines for creating posts In general, use words and images that illustrate what you want to create more of and promote: your offers, sustainability engagements, positive feelings, plant-based food, clean transportation, compassion, co-creation, local products etc. To familiarize yourself with the concept of wellbeing, that these recommendations are based on, you can read the booklet Introducing wellbeing tourism.
Guidelines for using hashtags A hashtag is a word or keyword phrase preceded by a hash (#). It is used in social media posts to help your target group and those who may be interested in your topic to be able to find it when they search for a keyword or a particular hashtag. It helps to draw attention to your posts and encourage interaction. When using a phrase as a hashtag, you spell it out without spaces, such as #wellbeingtourism. It can include numbers but not symbols or punctuation. The wellbeing tourism initiative, Wellbeing International, has selected hashtags which will direct people that are interested in wellbeing and wellbeing tourism topics to find your posts. You can find them in the bookletHow to promote wellbeing tourismand read more about how to communicate in line with wellbeing. The hashtags will help you increase influence and attract new followers, and by using them you also support spreading the wellbeing concept.
Website for wellbeing tourism This website wellbeingtourism.com promotes wellbeing tourism around the southern Baltic Sea, in the coastal regions of Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Poland and Lithuania. As a tourism business or otherwise a provider of products and services for wellbeing tourists you can join the brand Home of Wellbeing and be promoted on the website.
Wellbeing Assets of the South Baltic
The Unique South Baltic Region
Learn more!
Download the booklet “Branding Wellbeing Tourism” to learn more about the brand Home of Wellbeing, and how to develop you own brand.
The Baltic Sea Between our regions in the south Baltic there is a unique and sensitive beautiful Sea, the Baltic Sea. The young and shallow Baltic sea is one of few brackish sea environments on Earth that is home for a mix of marine and freshwater species. The lower concentration of salt also gives us a unique feel when bathing and swimming, and there is no stinging jelly fish, and tides. The Baltic Sea is connecting us, its waves and currents travelling from one region to another. How we care for the sea in one region is transported to our neighbours. The Sea also connects us though our common history where the Sea played a major role in transport of goods and communication between the regions of the Baltic.
Health through nature In many South Baltic Regions there is a tradition and history of bringing health and wellbeing through nature that goes back hundreds of years in time. It has been a natural part of everyday life to spend time in nature for the people that live here.
People go on hikes, skiing, swimming in the ocean and lakes. In some areas there is a tradition of using natural resources such as salt, mud, algae, and sea water for health in sanatoriums, in other areas people have pilgrimaged to special spring waters to uphold and support health, using heat from wood (saunas) to cleanse and purify oneself, and in others swimming also during winter in so called cold bath houses lining the coast.
Common pagan past The Baltic Sea Region has a diverse culture and natural heritage. The flow of ideas, people and goods from the Mesolithic to the Modern Period (including for example an expansion of farmers from the southern Baltic to Scandinavia, realms in the Viking Age where Slavs, Balts, Scandinavians, and Finns lived together) created a Baltic culture zone, which is proved by archaeological materials, linguistic remains and common religious elements. The traces of this unusually rich spiritual and material past of the Baltic Sea are visible in the landscape in the form of megaliths, stone circles, and other places of worship such as sacred stones, hills, springs, and place names.
Long and diverse coastline The South Baltic is blessed with a long and diverse coastline. It offers hundreds of kilometers with uninterrupted soft and sandy dune lined beaches ranging in colour from white, yellow and brown, sandy, mixed with stretches of cliffs, solid rocks, boulders, gravel or pebbles, and occasional spits and bars. When you are lucky you may find pieces of tens of millions year old Baltic amber (fossilized resin of flooded pine trees) in and along several parts of the Baltic Sea.
Peaceful The South Baltic is known for its’ peaceful atmosphere. Even in the peak tourism season you can find empty stretches of beach or coastal line to spend a moment in solitude if you are willing to head beyond the most known tourism areas. There are also many vast national parks or protected areas near the coast or further inland that may bring calm experiences in nature.
Martime forests Along the shores of the South Baltic are areas of windswept, crooked, or leaning, low pine trees. Some even appear enchanted. It is a special feeling wandering through these forests, where the fresh and sweet smell of the trees meet the humid, salty air of the sea. Some of the near coastal forests are growing on sandy soils that may hold treasures of amber.
Migrating birds Tens of millions of birds travel through the South Baltic region every year. From the fertile wetlands and beaches around the coasts to the islands where birds can find rest and refuge on their global voyages, the entire region is bursting with birds. The dramatic and varying weather conditions where mild humid Atlantic winds from the west meet cold air from the northern Baltic regions and sometimes warm, dryer winds from the continent in the south mean that the bird migration is not only a spring and autumn phenomenon. All year around you can see a wide variety of birds – always on the move.
Long summer nights The sun over the South Baltic rises early and sets late in summer giving rise to very long days and long and light summer nights. The opposite prevails in the winter and in between summer and winter is a gradual change in season and light over time. The bright evenings, nights and early mornings in the summer gives the opportunity to enjoy actively being and exploring the outdoors also during this time of day.
Accessible and pure nature The South Baltic natural heritage is highly accessible and well preserved compared to many other places in the world. Nature is protected and appears pristine and clean. It is easy to access and free of charge. There is an abundance of public beaches, parks, trails, forests, and other nature areas, and most of the land is either under the governance of the state or if privately owned, still accessible to the public. Thus, visitors can enjoy the nature easily, free of charge, and on their own.
Step 1 – Sign up
Welcome to the Home of Wellbeing
This website www.wellbeingtourism.com is called – the Wellbeing Atlas. It is a marketing platform for our network and brand Home Of Wellbeing. This brand includes you and all other wellbeing businesses and places approved according to the wellbeing tourism criteria.
Currently, the Wellbeing Atlas website presents businesses and places in five regions of the South Baltic. The atlas highlights this fantastic destination and its amazing wellbeing entrepreneurs.
With the support of the Wellbeing Atlas, tourists that seek wellbeing experiences are attracted to the region. The atlas serves as a planning tool for them and guides them in the search for wellbeing places and businesses to visit on their next vacation. The more Home Of Wellbeing companies and places that are active in the region, the more interesting and attractive your business will become for the tourists, and the longer the tourists are likely to stay in the area.
The Wellbeing Atlas is a transparent source of information. In order for you to be displayed on this website, you need to understand and embrace the concept of wellbeing tourism and be approved according to the criteria for wellbeing tourism.
See a short film on how to navigate on the atlas. Tip: to enlarge the film, click on the square in the bottom right corner, F11 will reduce the film again.
Sign up & create a free account
If you want to learn more or join Home Of Wellbeing, you are welcome to sign up. The sign up process includes four different steps where information, descriptions and photos, is collected about your business and in what way you contribute to wellbeing. When signing up you will have the possibility to take one or more self-evaluation tests. These tests are both a way of guiding you through the values of wellbeing tourism and a way to make a publication on the Atlas possible. Before you start to promote yourself with texts and photos, we encourage you to dedicate some time to study the educational material. Is is important that you convey a feeling of wellbeing when you describe your company and your offers. Note that you are required to fill in all boxes in the form to be published on the atlas.
Steps to do:Sign up & create a free account. Create a username and password.
Learn what information you add under each headline: read more here
Confirm your email address and account
Steps to do: Once signed up, you will receive a confirmation email. In order to complete the sign up process you need to click on the confirmation link that will be sent to you by email. If you do not receive a confirmation email, please check your spam folder. Also, verify that you entered a valid email address in our sign up form.
When you have signed up and created an account you have the possibility to evaluate your business according to the wellbeing criteria using one or more of our self-evaluation tests. By evaluating your business you can discover areas that are aligned with wellbeing that you already have developed and that you can promote to your customers, you will also get feedback about areas you can improve. If you pass the test, you can become a Home of Wellbeing and have the possibility to market yourself on the Wellbeing Atlas.
There are self-evaluating tests for businesses within the following four categories:
accommodation (for example hotels, B&Bs, and camping sites)
food (for example cafés, restaurants, food trucks, juice bars)
products (for example shops, stores or farm-shops, offering crops, handicraft, and beauty products)
services (this applies to all possible types of offers for guests and customers for example guided tours, treatments, trainings, courses, music, events, or yoga classes)
“When you do good, you feel good and develop a state of wellbeing.”
How it works
On the page “My Account” you will find the button “Evaluate your business” – click on it to access the four self-evaluating tests. Start with the self-evaluating test for your main category of business.
If your business includes more than one category and you will do more than one self-valuating test, a lot of the questions will be the same – you will however need to answer all questions in each questionnaire.
Each self-evaluation test contains five mandatory questions, these five questions concern actions, issues, or responsibilities that are essential in order to ensure that wellbeing tourism is delivered.
Each self-evaluation test is divided in four parts. These are:
An environmental friendly business
Contribute to the development of others
Be a welcoming host
A sustainable workplace
All questions are “Yes” and “No” questions
Some questions have the option “Not relevant”
How to be approved
You must fulfill 75% of all the relevant questions in the selected self-evaluation test, and,
you must fulfill all the mandatory questions, to be eligible as a Home of Wellbeing.
One icon for each passed self-evaluation test
Once you pass one of the self-evaluation tests, and is approved, you will receive the respective icon (services; accommodation; gastronomy; products):
Step 3 – Upload company description
Create your business card
On the Wellbeing Atlas you have a possibility to describe your business. By choosing text that is aligned with your values and offers you create the feeling you want to communicate to your customers and clients. Your business will be described and promoted on a ‘business card’, a page just for you.
On this page, you find short instructions on how to finalize your sign up process properly before being published online.
To guide potential customers to find and learn more about your business, you need to provide them with information such as your address, contact info, social media links, and photos. It is crucial for your success that it is easy for potential customers to find you online and that the information is clear and continuously updated. Dedicate time to make sure that you are visible, and that your information is transparent, genuine, and easy to understand.
1. The name of your business
Account name: Here is where you enter the name of your business.
The name of your business will be visual when the visitors are looking for places and companies that provide wellbeing. It will be displayed at the top of your business card.
2. Contact information
Add information to enable customers to easily contact you and learn more about your business.
Contact person
For communication between you and the wellbeing team.
Will not be visual on the published business card page.
Internal email address
For communication between you and the wellbeing team.
Will not be visual on the published business card page.
Public email address
For communication with your customer.
Will be visual on your published business card page.
Tips
Email is an important information channel between you and your customer.
The quality of your customer service emails affects your customers’ perception of your brand. Be personal when writing and use wellbeing wordings.
Be clear and easy to understand. Keep things simple.
Phone number 1
For communication with your customer.
Will be visual on your published business card page.
Phone number 2
For communication between you and the wellbeing team.
Will not be visual on your published business card page.
Social media accounts
Add all your available and active accounts representing your business.
Tips
all your social media accounts should be aligned with your values and marketing strategy.
Address to your destination
This will help guide your guests to your facility.
Will be visual on your published business card page.
Will be visual as a marker on the published map.
3. Describe your business
The information texts about your business are a large part of the communication of your business and is an opportunity for you to create memorable images of your brand for the reader.
The readers are elusive, you only have a few seconds to capture their interest. So do not waste precious time on information that does not say anything substantial. It should also be aligned with what is written on your own website or on your social media. The text should be easy to read, clear, and complete. Proofread the text many times, get help from friends and acquaintances, partners and customers – it is easy to become blind to flaws. Mainly maintain your “About us” text so that you have up-to-date information about your company. It makes you more interesting.
On the Wellbeing Atlas you have four small blocks available for your promotion, use them wisely. Get support from the Wellbeing tourism booklets and films to create a wonderful wellbeing text, supported by beautiful and inspiring photos.
Pop-up description (Max 80 characters)
The very essence
This text is visual when visitors hoover over your pictures.
This is your possibility to give a great first impression.
Present the very essence of what you offer and what makes your business and product or service unique, fantastic, and how it contributes to wellbeing.
Short introduction (Max 600 characters)
This text is visual in bold on top of your business card.
Some visitors may only read this text and not the rest.
Speak directly to your guest by using “you”.
Besides the name of your business this text is the first, and perhaps only, text your potential guest and customer will read about you when they visit your business card.
Reflect on this text, is there something that is particularly beneficial to express, something unique with your place or offer that can distinguish your business and make customers choose you.
What do you offer? nutritious food, treatments, accommodation, experiences
Wat are you sharing? traditions, culture, knowledge, experiences, adventures
How is the experience of your place?-mesmerizing views, the waves of the sea, the pulse of the city, the healing power of nature, romantic, tropical, rural, genuine, historical, classic, modern
What is the budget level of your offers? luxurious, affordable
Description of your offers (Max 1000 characters)
Here is your possibility to shine. Describe what you will offer your guests, and how you will care for them. Describe where your products come from or how you perform a particular treatment. Create mental images for the reader and make them long for an experience with you.
Description of your business (Max 400 characters)
Describe your business values, and your hosting values. You may describe the history of your business. Let the visitor get to know you, for real. Be inviting and open. Strive for a genuine connection, let your guests know that they are in your thoughts and your priority.
Step 4 – Upload wellbeing photos
Communicate your business with photos on the Wellbeing Atlas
How well your customers remember your messages depends on several factors. If the text is associated with a photo it will create an emotional connection to your company, products or services, and is more likely to stick with them longer.
You as a wellbeing host can let your photos communicate your care for the natural environment, your customers, staff and the surrounding community. Your photos should reflect your honesty in your business and your sustainable actions. Communicate all the good things that you do through your photos. Show your customers how you interact, collaborate, and co-create with others. Show your love and passion for what you do and offer.
The General Data Protections Regulation (GDPR) – intend to protect the data of citizens within the European Union (EU).
The GDPR covers any information that can be classified as personal details or that can be used to determine your identity.
For children under the age of 16 parental consent is required to process any data.
Photos (and films) may contain personal data.
Consent in photography – People have a basic right to integrity, to make their own decisions about their bodies and personal data. Consent is someone’s agreement for another person to do something that would violate their integrity if it were done without their approval. If you want to publish photos of customers and staff and for the written approval.
Photo ownership
When ordering photos from a photographer, there are several things you need to keep in mind. As the customer of an image, you are responsible for its approval according to the GDPR. Make sure you know how and where you can use the photo or image and if you may cut or adjust it.
It is easier for people to remember a photo than an text.
Describe your facility or offer with a beautiful photo.
Photos make connections
Let your photos connect your products and services to the environment where they are produced: how they are made and by whom. Focus on the natural aspects, on sustainability and how they are creating wellbeing for your customers for you and the community.
Profile image style
A profile image style is a visual language that gives your potential customers the right feelings and connection to what you aim to communicate. Photos are one of the most efficient tools in marketing. Each photo communicate many words. That is why it is good to be aware of what message you communicate with your photos. Your visual language should also differentiate you from other actors and other types of tourism.
Photos communicate fast
The mental and emotional impact from a photo happens almost instantly.
Our brains process visual content at an incredibly high speed. An estimate is that people process visuals 60 000 times faster than words.
Your photos on the Wellbeing Atlas
There are three main photos on your business card
On your business card, there will always be three main pictures visible for the visitors, your potential customers. Make these photos count – the first impression is everything.
First photo – Header image 1
This is the largest photo (header), to the left on your business card.
Second & third photo – Header image 2 and Header image 3
These are the two smaller photos, to the left on your business card.
More images
You can add several more photos – your visitor will find them under “View all photos”.
Horizontal photographs
The best format for the Wellbeing Atlas are horizontal photographs (landscape format)
Consider your composition – the photos may however be cut
On the atlas the photos are sometime cut, use preview to make sure that you main subject in the photo is visual.
Where you place subjects within a photograph is called composition. Some examples:
The rule of thirds is a composition guideline that places your subject in the left or right third of an image, leaving the other two thirds more open.
Centered composition is a powerful way to draw attention to your main subject – the main subject is placed smack in the middle of the image frame.
How to upload photos from your computer
Step 1 Add Main header image – click button
Click on the button “Add image” to upload the main header image to the Wellbeing atlas.
Step 2 Add Main header image – drop or select
Click on “Select Files” to choose your main photo. Drop or select files from your computer.
Step 3 Upload more photos
Click on “Add image” to add “Additional header images”.
The wellbeing tourism criteria
The criteria for Home of Wellbeing
Wellbeing Tourism is tourism that supports harmony and balance of body, mind, and soul for guests and hosts, in a sustainable interaction with the local community and environment. To become a wellbeing company- A Home of Wellbeing – you need to evaluate your business and offers against a number of criteria. On this page and the pages with tips, you will get inspiration and hands-on information on how to develop your business to pass the questions in the self-evaluation test.
The journey towards your wellbeing goals
To be able to develop and become a wellbeing company, it will help if you identify the impact your business has on the environment, on the economy and society, and the impacts your products and services have on the clients – on their body, mind, and soul.
To get your priorities in place and thereby achieve your goals and develop your business towards increased wellbeing, a good way of working is to revise your business plan. Here is a simplified way to get started.
You current status
Define your current status. What can you measure to define the current state of your business and how can you measure it?
When you know your status, how well is it in line with the aim of your business and your values?
Making a strategy
Develop your policies, aims, goals and objectives, make them measurable and ensure they are achievable within the scope of your business
Decide when the goals will be achieved
Define your budget
Decide who will do what
Define how to follow up on your achievements and results
Motivate
Motivation is key to achieving the goals you defined for your business. What will motivate you, your staff, and your guests?
Request feedback
Everyone benefit from feedback to improve what they do. Consider how you will request feedback regular.
Climbing the ladder towards improvement
Alike climbing a ladder, it takes many steps to reach the heights of your ambitions. This ladder can be used to tap yourself on the shoulder for each step that you progress.
Step 1 – Get started
Assign responsibilities and identify risks
Aquire knowledge of the wellbeing criteria on how to become a Home of Wellbeing. Identify and investigate your current overall status or situation. Identify risks. Distribute responsibilities in your company for the important criteria. Identify related laws and regulations that you must follow. Start to implement measures for improvement. Inform guests and customers of your intentions.
Step 2 – Get everyone on board
Appoint managers, set goals and follow up
Ensure the knowledge of your business development plan for your wellbeing journey is well-known among the management or board of directors. Let designated persons be in charge of each measure or topic if possible. Keep a system for following up on your goals and make sure you follow laws and regulations. Educate guests and customers on how they can contribute to reducing the negative impact of the business and support positive development.
Step 3 – Be strategic
Policies, key figures & working groups
When you have policies and action plans in place, monitor and follow up on your key figures. Engage the staff and establish working groups focusing on various issues. Have a program for guest and customers interaction and support to identify new ways to take the next steps.
Step 4 – Make a difference
Continuous improvement and commitment
Be committed to the development of your business towards increased sustainability and wellbeing – taking environmental, economic, social and health aspects into account. Have control of the impact of your activities, products, or services on people and on the planet. Make continuous improvements and develop the competence of your staff. Review action plans and evaluate the results to enable adjustment of your goals and plans. Conduct online surveys regularly and read reviews about your business (for example Tripadvisor and Google). Employ policies and measures to drive positive changes. Ensure guests and customers contribute and are part of your efforts to contribute to increased wellbeing.
Wellbeing criteria lists
Criteria for wellbeing gastronomy
The criteria for gastronomy can, in a practical and enlightening way, give you tips and inspiration on how you can develop your restaurant or café in line with wellbeing. The document will also guide you through the self-evaluation test for gastronomy that can accessed via your account on this website (PDF).
This folder will guide you through the criteria for wellbeing businesses in accommodation. Let yourself be inspired and get guided on how you can develop your B&B, hostel, campsite, hotel, and the like, in line with the wellbeing concept (PDF).
A wellbeing company is aware and considerate about presenting fair and sustainable sourced products to customers. The criteria for wellbeing products will give you valuable insights on what to think of when developing your business in line with the wellbeing concept (PDF)
The criteria for wellbeing services will support you in developing your business model and guide you through the process of becoming a wellbeing company that offers experiences that contribute to the wellbeing of your customers body, mind, and soul (PDF).
Get inspired by the criteria and guidelines for wellbeing places. The material can give you support and guidance when defining and developing a true wellbeing place (PDF).
Tips – become an environmentally friendly business
Running an Environmentally Friendly Business
Waste minimization
The growing amount of waste produced in modern society has a huge impact on the environment. Many of the materials discarded in the waste can remain and affect the environment for hundreds or thousands of years, or even more. The presence of harmful waste in the natural environment can cause significant effects on plants, animals, and humans. The most effective way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place. Reducing waste reduces your environmental impact, and it can also have a positive impact on your finances as well as a positive social impact by creating more jobs, for example for people in industries recycling goods.
By awareness-raising, you effectively encourage waste prevention, reuse, and recycling behavior within the organization.
Remember, only buy what you really need – what you did not buy will not end up as waste.
Set goals on waste management
Make a policy and a strategy for waste management.
Create a waste reduction strategy – analyze your waste production (where and how much), set goals and make a list of things to do.
Conduct a waste management audit – be aware about your current situation so you can take the right actions. Take a walk around your premises, noting down the quantities and direct costs of any wastes that you can detect.
Reduce overall waste
Purchase wisely, it is essential to reduce waste.
Choose products and foods without packaging materials.
Create a “less waste initiative” that encourages all employees and guests to be aware of their waste production.
Manage your consumables (for example sheets and cleaning materials) in a way that extend their life time.
Implement a recycling program – sort all generated waste for recycling, general recovery and energy recovery.
Repair, reuse, and find new uses for things.
Reduce food waste
Avoid serving food in the form of buffets. If you still choose to serve buffets, reduce the size of the plates so that guests take less food each serving.
Include leftover groceries and ingredients in your cooking.
Take care of leftover cooked food in different ways, for example offer your guests or staff to receive or buy leftovers and donate your leftover food to nearby actors such as schools, and care centers.
Reduce littering
Reduce disposable items such as straws and cutlery. Offer refills of for example tea and coffee in thermos mugs.
Put up more trash cans, and make sure they are wind and animal safe.
Arrange clean-up events, encourage guests and staff to take part in the activity.
Encourage your guests to keep a waste bag in their day-pack or vehicle so they can dispose any trash produced from activities, such as trekking, properly later.
Reduce production waste
Develop a system for recycling the products of your own company. You can offer to take them back if the customer no longer wants them, and you can sell them second hand.
Avoid unnecessary packaging.
Choose durable, and smart packaging for your goods.
Use materials that can be reused for displaying your goods.
Encourage customers to bring their own carrier bags, jars, bottles, thermoses and packaging for the goods they will purchase.
Reduce disposable items
Avoid disposable materials in all parts of your business such as wrapped slippers and bathrobes; disposable cutlery, plates, glasses, mugs and straws; disposable packaging for skin, hair, beauty products, toothpaste, toothbrushes; coasters, protection, decoration, other packaging; paper napkins and towels.
Sustainable energy use
All energy use affects the environment via greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution. By using renewable energy however, and at the same time reducing our energy use, so that the amount of renewable energy resources is enough for everyone, we can reach a more sustainable way of life. Clean energy for electricity, heating, and transport is necessary to reduce the climate impact of your company. Remember that the best energy is “negawatt” – it represents a watt of energy that you have not used through energy conservation or the use of energy-efficient products.
Set goals on energy use
Energy savings in the tourism industry consist of several parts, including heating, cooling in the summer, indoor and outdoor lighting, ventilation, kitchen equipment, terrace heating, and more.
Make a policy and a strategy for energy management. What does energy efficiency and sustainable energy mean for your company?
Create an energy reduction strategy – analyze usage (where and how much), set goals and make a list of things to do. Make a sustainable procurement plan – choose energy efficient solutions and products.
Conduct an energy management audit – be aware of your current situation so you can take the right actions. Take a walk around your premises (during open and closed hours), note down the standby items, unnecessary lamps, heating systems covered by furniture and so on. Energy consumption monitoring will help you – investigate the possibility of monitoring the energy consumption of specific equipment items.
Make a commitment to green energy – choose green electricity from your electricity supplier. You can also produce your own energy by setting up solar cells.
Develop an operation and maintenance guide that describes which technical systems you have in your buildings, how they intend to work, and how they should be maintained. The guide should cover plumbing and control systems, such as heating, cooling, ventilation, sanitation, control, regulations and monitoring, LPG, compressed air, and sprinklers. The operation and maintenance guide does not have to be so advanced at first, a few lines about each system is better than nothing at all.
Label switches so they are not accidentally turned on.
General energy saving tips
Make sure that lighting, heating and other appliances only operate when they are needed.
turn-off exterior lighting during daylight hours
use timers or motion detectors
install energy meters to keep track
avoid leaving equipment on stand by
avoid leaving portable electronics such as laptops or mobiles on charge unnecessarily
Regularly maintain and adjust of your appliances and systems. Schedule cleaning of radiators and valves.
Educate all staff about energy efficiency, this is a simple and cost effective measure.
Teach the cleaning staff how to air properly and efficiently.
Stop air leakage. Inspect, caulk and weather-strip windows and doors to avoid unnecessary energy waste.
Use solar shading, which is a form of solar control that can be used to optimise the amount of solar heat gain and visible light that is admitted into a building.
Save energy for heating
Save money on heating and cooling bills by simply resetting your thermostat when it is low season, or when different rooms or parts of the facility are not used. You can also lower the temperature during night time. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing an automatic setback or programmable thermostat.
Bleeding your radiators can help you save energy. One of the main problems with radiators is that air sometimes becomes trapped inside them. When that happens, a bubble of air impedes the flow of hot water and stops the hot water from circulating. The only way to remove that air bubble is to bleed the radiator and restore the water flow inside.
Keep doors and windows shut when the heating or cooling system is on.
Save energy in hotel rooms
Remove refrigerators or “minibars” in the majority of the hotel rooms, instead offer guests to buy cold drinks in the lobby and offer the rooms with refrigerator on request.
Unwanted draughts can cause rooms feel chilly and make your guests feel comfortable.
Encourage guests and staff to inform the reception or maintenance if something is broken in the heating/cooling system, or if air is leaking through doors and windows.
Develop simple and easy-to-understand information about how the heating and cooling system works so the guest can adjust it instead of opening windows. Inform how the guest can take sustainable actions by handling the heating/cooling correctly.
Modify the limits of room temperature control (lower limit 18 degrees, upper limit 23 degrees)
Install use timers or motion detectors for lighting.
Switch to energy-efficient lighting.
Turn the television off when leaving the room (avoid sleep/stand by mode). Use a timer on the television so that it switches off automatically after a certain time. Remove the television in a part of the hotel rooms, and offer the rooms with television on request.
Save energy in the kitchen
Turn off all appliances that are not in use
Set the right temperature in refrigerators and fridges, and defrost regularly.
Keep the door to the fridge and refrigerator closed as much as possible and do not open them unnecessarily.
Do not store hot food in cooling chambers.
Only run the dishwasher when it is fully loaded, choose energy saving programs.
Turn off stoves and oven ten minutes or more before finishing cooking to use residual heat. Cook several dishes at once and cook food in smaller pieces.
If you need to check on a dish, use the oven window. Every time the oven door is opened, the temperature inside is reduced by as much as 25 degrees, forcing it to use more energy to get back to the proper cooking temperature.
Switch off beverage dispensers (machines that cool drinks) if they are not used. Install timers.
Be smart about heating. Energy costs of heating water in an electric kettle is much more efficient than in a microwave or on the stove.
Sustainable water use
Clean freshwater is a natural resource that is essential to life and that we should handle with care. A drier climate has made groundwater levels in some parts of the southern Baltic Sea region very low and there is occasional water scarcity. Water scarcity prevails when the freshwater resources are insufficient to meet the standard water demand. If we are to live more sustainably, it is important not to waste water. By keeping track of your water use and saving water, you contribute to a more sustainable community while also reducing your expenses, for both water and energy.
Inform, involve and encourage your guests and staff to make their behaviour more sustainable. We are often unaware about when we waste water – for example waiting for the water in the shower to become warmer.
Set goals on water use
Make a policy and a strategy for water management.
Create an water reduction strategy – analyse usage (where and how much), set goals and make a list of things to do.
Monitoring your water usage is the first step to savings. Using a smart meter is the best way to go about this. Knowing how much you use and where can help you to identify areas of potential savings, quickly address leaks. Monitor your bills closely on an ongoing basis to identify changes in patterns of water consumption.
Conduct a water management audit – pay attention to your indoor water usage. Check routinely for leaks such as leaking faucets, toilets, and appliances. Take a walk around your premises to check all taps, toilets and so on. Actions to stop leaky faucets and toilets saves both water and money.
Educate employees on good water using habits, share water-saving ideas. Every member of your team needs to operate with water conscientiousness. Offer training, guides, and guidance on what needs to happen water-wise within the business to meet your water-saving goals and explain why.
Cooperate to report broken pipes, leaky hydrants and errant sprinklers to property owners or your local water provider.
General water saving tips
Stop the dripping. Water may be wasted in many places around the facility, from leaking toilets to dripping faucets. Identify costly water leaks that should be repaired, check your water meter for example to detect leaks. Calculate your water waste. Find out just how much water you waste when you let a dripping faucet drip – investigate worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and leaking shower heads. A dripping tap can waste 800 litres of water in a month and a leaking toilet up to 400 litres of water each day.
Replacing outdated or inefficient fixtures save water and money on utility bills in the long run. Install water-efficient taps with an aerator or flow restrictor to use less water. Install lever or mixer taps, these save water by quickly reaching a desired temperature.
Promote the drinking of potable tap water instead of bottled water among employees, guests and customers.
Wash company vehicles when needed rather than on a schedule. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.
Save water in hotel rooms
Allow guests to opt for a linen and towel reuse programme, allowing them to choose to not have linen and towels changed daily.
Install water-efficient shower heads, which can use up to 40% less water. Set the shower flow to less than than 10 litres per minute.
Install low-flow toilets, which use roughly two to four times less water than older models. Install dual flush toilets.
Your taps should have a maximum flow of six litres per minute.
Cut water usage in your laundry operation with a low-water washing system.
Encourage guest to not spend more time in the bathroom than needed. Turn off the water while brushing the teeth – place a sign above basins suggesting that guests do not leave the tap running while shaving or brushing teeth. Encourage the guest to keep the showers brief, and to take a shower instead of baths. A full bath holds more than four times as much water than is needed to adequately bathe.
Make sure that the amount of cleaning in the room is optimal and carried out using green cleaning products.
Save outdoor water
Take note of leaky faucets outdoors, check faucets, pipes, and hoses.
Put any decorative fountains and similar on timers and keep them on only during work hours.
For any irrigation system, hire a qualified professional to install it and keep it working properly and efficiently. Make sure your irrigation system is watering only the areas intended, and that the water is not wasted on walkways, streets and so on.
Leave lawn clippings on your grass since it cools the ground and retains moisture.
Use porous material for walkways and patios to prevent wasteful runoff and keep water in your yard.
Use cultural plants from your region and group them with plats that have the same watering needs to avoid over watering some while under watering others.
Use a layer of organic mulch on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water. Spreading a layer of organic mulch around plants helps them retain moisture, saving water, time and money.
Collect water from your roof by installing gutters and downspouts. Direct the runoff to plants and trees.
Use a pool cover to help keep your pool clean, reduce chemical use and prevent water loss through evaporation.
Do not overfill the pool. Lower water levels will reduce water loss due to splashing.
Save water in the kitchen
Set taps to have a maximum flow of 10 litres per minute.
Establish water-saving guidelines for using kitchen equipment; use the dishwasher, and start only when it is full, use the eco program; do not wash dishes in running water; scrape dishes rather than rinsing them before washing; resoak pots, pans and utensils in basins of water; boil only the amount of water for tea/coffee that is needed.
Wash fruit and vegetables in a sink.
Choose hotel kitchen equipment that uses minimal water. Install water-efficient dishwashers to use 50% less water than average models.
Keep equipment maintained and drains clean.
Stop selling bottled water.
Serve water only upon request and ask before refilling. A 2.5 dl glass of water needs an additional 5 dl of water for cleaning.
Sustainable procurement and purchasing– general
Your purchases affect your entire business, both from a health perspective and when it comes to the environment. The increased interest in ethics, ecology, and social responsibility requires that companies work on sustainability issues and have a strategy to reduce their environmental impact. By choosing green procurement with organic products, you help to reduce the spread of synthetically produced chemical pesticides in nature. Think before you act – things you have not procured, can not be used or offered to your customers.
Set goals for green procurements
Make a policy and a strategy for sustainable procurements. Here are some other terms that are similar:
Green purchasing
Green procurement
Recycled/Reusable
Eco-efficient product/sustainable product
Efficient procurement
Environmental procurement
Clean procurement
Responsible procurement
Make a code of conduct for procurement and decide who you want to cooperate with. Perhaps you might want your partners to sign the code of conduct that you developed. That means that you define that you expect vendors and their sub-contractors to operate lawfully and conduct their activities in a socially and environmentally responsible manner by, at a minimum, meeting the expectations set forth in your code of conduct.
Conduct a procurement management audit – consider how your purchasing decisions will have an impact on the planet and how your decisions also set an example for others.
Make a list of all the things you usually buy, check what you can remove and what you can improve. Consider how many of your purchases that are due to old habits, instead of a real need.
Plan your purchases and buy only what you need keeping track of which sustainability labels are available, decide what is important to you and make priorities.
Cooperate with trusted procurers
Avoid products from suppliers using pesticides or genetically modified foods.
Choose suppliers who can describe and verify the quality of what they sell.
Choose the right type of products
Buy local raw materials to support local producers.
Buy local and organic raw materials to promote biodiversity.
Avoid products that require large amounts of natural resources and long transports.
Prioritize recycling and second-hand
Prioritize materials that can be reused in the first place and recycled in the second place.
Choose sustainable produced natural materials (such as wood or linen).
Always choose products of good quality that last a long time and can be renovated.
Choose energy- and water-efficient equipment.
Have knowledge about the materials, products and raw materials you need.
Use renewable raw materials and degradable ingredients.
Focus on creating the best possible starting point for manufacturing your products.
Buy products where the entire production takes place with consideration to the environment.
Select materials and products that can be repaired and reused.
Sustainable procurement and purchasing – meat and fish
We need biodiversity on land and in the oceans and at the same time be able to use nature’s resources in a sustainable way. We must, therefore, together, take responsibility and make improvements so that the entire food chain from land or sea to meals can be sustainable. In your business, you can choose meat that comes from animals that contribute positively to biodiversity. You can choose fish wisely and help ensure that the oceans are not depleted so that the fish have time to recover and reproduce and that the oceans’ ecosystems stay in balance.
Set goals on meat and fish procurements
Make a policy and a strategy for sustainable procurements for meat and fish.
Choose suppliers that help you reduce transports. Demand group transport, besides reducing costs, grouping your products for transportation will in turn reduce the impact on the environment, compared to individual haulage for each item.
Choose the right type of meat and fish
Learn about sustainability certifications for meat and fish.
Choose certified organic domestic meat.
Choose certified domestic natural pasture meat.
Choose wild-caught fish that is MSC-labelled and approved according to the WWF consumer guide.
Choose farmed MSC- labelled fish that is approved according to the WWF consumer guide.
Remember that game meat is a limited resource, use local meat that has been tested according to national food legislation.
Find out where and how production takes place, avoid long transports.
Define what you expect from the supplier and communicate it.
Sustainable transports
Our travel produces large emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants that affect our health and contribute to changing the climate on earth. Traffic affects nature through emissions of acidifying, fertilizing, and ozone-forming substances. Traffic emissions of pollutants also harm human health. Particles in the outdoor air contribute to cardiovascular diseases as well as diseases that impair lung function and can affect the normal development of the lungs. The incomplete combustion of fossil fuels forms particles and hydrocarbons. By thinking about how we travel and transport things, we have great opportunities to reduce emissions. In wellbeing tourism, sustainable travel to and between destinations is an important part.
Set goals on transports
Make a policy and a strategy for sustainable transport. Describe what it means for you and which transports that will be included.
Conduct a transport and CO2(g) management audit – include your own vehicles and produced services, and perhaps even the transports of your guests. Make improvements by changing the old solutions to bicycles, and electric or biogas cars.
Sustainable travel for guests
Help your guests plan their sustainable journey to your facility.
Offer transport from train and bus stations or collaborate with others for smooth transfer.
Promote the concept of carpooling and support your guests finding good solutions.
Provide rental or loan bicycles and secure bicycle parking for those who bring their own bikes.
Find out how your guests travel to you – offer and inform about other possibilities providing charging options for electric cars and electric bicycles.
Sustainable supply chains
Choose suppliers that help you reduce transports. Demand group transport, besides reducing costs, grouping your products for transportation will in turn reduce the impact on the environment, compared to individual haulage for each item. Choose slower deliveries. Coordinate your distribution of goods and products with others.
Create a plan for how you can shorten your supply chains to a minimum.
Buy locally.
Tips – contribute to social development
Let your business contribute to social development
Extend the operating season
An extended season can create benefits for local actors and the community in general. An extended season can, for example, provide new jobs or give staff the opportunity for year-round employment. Promoting offers during the low season can stimulate economic growth and jobs. To offer services during most of the year further results in an increased customer base, possibility for cost optimization, and the opportunity for your visitors to experience different seasons. Being able to retain staff all year round increases their experience and skills and contributes to a better relationship with your customers.
Set goals on extending the season
Make a strategy -set goals and have a plan for extending the operating season.
Extend the season with offers
Create offers during different seasons based on local or regional possibilities such as a harvest party, primary tasting, candle party, winter bath, dark hikes, meet spring.
Let your offers and prices change during the year to create longer opening hours. Design pricing to be attractive during the low season. Collaborate with others to create new offers.
Support local companies
An important prerequisite for a prosperous society is to support local companies, which are important venues and employers. Both your business and your community benefit from your local purchases of goods and services. Your choices can result in that the money stays in the region, contribute to a vibrant community, more jobs, more resources for school and social services, reduced transport, and environmental impact. You and other local businesses and shops together make the community attractive and consequently you will be more interesting for tourists.
Set goals on local support
Make a policy and a strategy for supporting the local community. Decide what it means to you and what you want to focus on for your business.
Improve your local support
Procure services like cleaning, laundry, food, and similar from local businesses.
Adapt your offers to both local and regional conditions and products and as well as to raw materials that are in season.
Assist growth and development of local suppliers through collaboration.
Promote local entrepreneurship.
Mainly serve food and drinks from own production and with own raw materials.
Become a loyal local customer.
Create networks to increase collaboration.
Develop systems so your money stays in the community.
Develop local supply opportunities.
Promote local entrepreneurship.
Mainly serve food and drinks from your in-house production and with your own produce.
Use ingredients with nutritious, fresh and locally produced ingredients to lift your menu to new, exciting levels. Exchange foreign products in dishes to local, regional or national. For example, rice by wheat or oats; exotic nuts by nationally produced seeds or nuts; meat products by nationally grown legumes.
Makesocially sustainable procurements and purchases
Social responsibility includes caring for people locally, regionally, and nationally as well as trade with other countries. As a wellbeing company, you primarily choose locally produced materials and products. Sometimes though, purchases from developing countries may be needed. By taking social responsibility, you support the way trade works and contribute to better prices, decent working conditions, and a fairer deal for farmers and workers. This is important regionally but in particular in developing countries.
Set goals for socially sustainable procurements
Make a policy and a strategy for socially sustainable procurements.
Conduct a procurement management audit – consider how your purchasing decisions will have an impact on the lives of producers, in particular in developing countries, and how your decisions also set an example for others.
Make a code of conduct. Who do you want to cooperate with? Perhaps you want to develop a “code of conduct” that your partners should sign? That means that you define that you expect vendors and their sub-contractors to operate lawfully and conduct their activities in a socially and environmentally responsible manner by, at a minimum, meeting the expectations set forth in your code of conduct for procurement.
Make a list of all the things you usually buy, check what you can remove and what you can change to more sustainable options. Consider which of your purchases that are made of old habit, instead of a real need.
Plan your purchases and keep track of which social responsible labels are available, decide what is important to you and take one step at a time.
Contribute to fair trade
Communicate your awareness of fair trade to your guests and employees.
Select certified goods and products (e.g. Fair Trade) such as;
Cocoa, sugar, coffee, tea, juice
Bananas and other exotic fruits, rice, quinoa, spices and herbs, nuts
Flowers
Wood, textiles, cotton, metals
Skin care products
Raise awareness and contribute to the local community
Locals and other local businesses are not always fully aware of what their local communities or local businesses have to offer them or other tourists. This may be due to the marketing that companies and municipalities carry out, primarily aimed at tourists and not at the local population, who thus lose their knowledge and awareness and cannot participate in marketing their own region. The local companies can also help create meaningful leisure, jobs, and skills development for the local population.
Set goals for contributing to local development
Make a strategy, and define goals.
Communicate the goals to your employees.
Contribute to local development
Disseminate knowledge about wellbeing and how it can be reached.
Target marketing about your business to the local community.
Invite your neighbours and let them get to know you.
Inform about the natural and cultural environment for those who live in the area.
Employ staff from the local community.
Start networks and inspiration evenings, exchange knowledge, create local involvement.
Share the knowledge, you and your staff possess so others can benefit from this information. Share your knowledge via study visits, internships, lectures, study circles, education, etc.
Donate products to people in vulnerable situations or to organizations that work with these themes.
Donate or invest part of your turnover in your region and participate in local community activities that have benefits for the greater good.
Collaborate with external partners
To succeed in becoming a renowned tourism destination and be visible in many contexts, it is important to collaborate with each other, you need to work together to be stronger and create a reason to visit your region. Collaborating can also be fun and inspiring – by developing your business together with others, you can be inspired and can find new creative solutions. For you as a representative of a small or medium sized business, collaboration can also be important as it can be a way to save time and money, and to attract more clients.
Set goals for collaboration
Make a strategy, and define goals.
Communicate the goals to your employees.
Collaborate with others
Disseminate knowledge about wellbeing.
Educate your staff to be local ambassadors on wellbeing.
Give your employees working hours for non-profit contributions.
Inform about places to visit, sights and activities in the local area.
Co-create offers and collaborate with local actors. Use each other’s facilities and share it with associations and the municipality, share logistics and transport, use local services and providers whenever possible.
Create joint marketing efforts, inform your guests about offers from other local actors.
Create networks and start exchanges of services and offers that are in line with wellbeing. You can be in a network with companies with the same niche of food, restaurants, etc. – but do not underestimate unexpected meetings and collaboration with completely new players as well.
Preserve the natural and cultural heritage
Cultural heritage is important as a source of knowledge, education, and experience. By relating to the visible and tangible traces that shaped our society, we create perspectives on who we are and the society we live in. Across the EU, attention is now drawn to the potential of the cultural heritage to create a greater understanding between people. Create understanding and interest in the natural and cultural heritage as well as cultural environments.
Set goals for heritage preservation
Make a strategy, and define goals.
Communicate the goals to your employees.
Preserve and restore cultural and natural heritage
Use photos of people and nature from the local community in your marketing material.
Use imagery based on traditional patterns and prints.
Collaborate with others to ensure that all parts of your products have a local or locally produced origin.
Organize natural and cultural history activities together with community associations.
Develop your products originating in local traditional.
Use or draw inspiration from traditional recipes or traditional food crafts.
Learn more about the cultural heritage of your community.
Locate activities and carry out guided tours of culturally and historically interesting buildings, environments and other remains.
Tell the stories about occurred events, famous or interesting people and traditions from your local community.
Arrange excursions; tours, bus tours, bike rides, or horseback riding.
Invite interesting lecturers or create a storytelling evening where everyone can share.
Decorate with heritage textiles, handicrafts and colours, preserve food traditions.
Collaborate with others, for example craftsmen who have traditional craft skills.
Have a sustainable production with organic foods and sustainable materials.
Grow cultivated plants.
Preserve old stock breed that are part of your cultural heritage and the national animal husbandry. Many landrace breed, old stock breed, are locally adapted, resistant to disease and have good parenting properties and are suitable for organic farming.
Sell your products at local markets or harvest festivals.
Invite your customers to keep “Open house” or “Open garden”.
Remember the children and young people that visit you – arrange dedicated events or special program items for them.
Educate yourself as a nature or cultural guide.
Attain certification for your products
Certification comes from the Latin word certi´fico – “confirm”. A certification is a type of certificate or proof that a certain degree of trust has been given to a product. Certification is an important part of the work to create a sense of safety for the clients. It is a seal of quality and an advantage that is also valuable in your marketing. With a product certificate, you certify that your product meets the promised quality according to the certification.
Set goals for achieving certifications
Make a strategy, and define goals.
Communicate the goals to your employees.
Obtain a certification
Prepare and acquire knowledge, review relevant criteria for the product or service you wish to certify or if you want to certify your business, facility or something else. Get help and cooperate with others.
The process of certification
Fill out the documentation including descriptions of the product.
Test the product and make the necessary improvements and adjustments.
Apply for the certification.
After approved inspection and certification, you can market yourself and your products.
Educate your employees and your customers about what certification means.
Be authentic and credible when promoting products
A wellbeing company must be transparent and honest in its communication, and the information of the products must reflect its content and origin, thereby contributing to the preservation or development of the local natural and cultural heritage, as well as contributing to a vibrant and sustainable countryside.
Set goals on authentic information
Make a strategy, and define goals.
Communicate the goals to your employees.
Create honest marketing material
Use expressions and descriptions that everyone understands.
Be clear about origins of the products.
Be clear about the contents of the products.
Tips – create a sustainable workplace
A sustainable workplace
Equal treatment and equality
A wellbeing company always acts on the basis that all people are equally valuable and that everyone should be able to live a good life. In a workplace with a wide diversity of staff, the conditions are much greater for the staff to feel good and contribute in a positive way to your company. When people with different ages, backgrounds, genders, education, languages, home addresses, and financial opportunities are mixed; acceptance can become the basis for your common values.
Contact person
For communication between you and the wellbeing team.
Will not be visual on the published business card page.
Internal email address
For communication between you and the wellbeing team.
Will not be visual on the published business card page.
Public email address
For communication with your customer.
Will be visual on your published business card page.
Tips
Email is an important information channel between you and your customer.
The quality of your customer service emails affects your customers’ perception of your brand. Be personal when writing and use wellbeing wordings.
Be clear and easy to understand. Keep things simple.
Phone number 1
For communication with your customer.
Will be visual on your published business card page.
Phone number 2
For communication between you and the wellbeing team.
Will not be visual on your published business card page.
Social media accounts
Add all your available and active accounts representing your business.
Tips
all your social media accounts should be aligned with your values and marketing strategy.
Address to your destination
This will help guide your guests to your facility.
Will be visual on your published business card page.
Will be visual as a marker on the published map.
Staff interaction and cooperation
In a workplace, it is important that everyone contribute on equal terms, that they have the same opportunities, have the same obligations and is appreciated for their efforts and for who they are. Each employee’s skills and commitment are crucial to the success for your business and how you are perceived by your customers and guests. Wellbeing companies are inspiring, activating, and caring towards people. This requires special demands on how your staff collaborates with each other and how they interact with the guests. The working environment and service are improved by a good atmosphere and good interaction. By creating conditions for taking advantage of the specific abilities of your employees you can create a creative and positive workplace where everyone works towards the same goal.
Set goals on internal collaboration
Make a strategy, and define goals.
Communicate the goals to your employees.
Increase staff collaboration
Keep a positive attitude.
Have a clear set of values that you work according to.
Invite employees to participate in development, change, and decision-making.
Have joint responsibility for customer satisfaction.
Coach and support your employees.
Give freedom and responsibility to your employees.
Train and inform employees so they feel safe and can develop while working for your company.
Activity cards
Forest bathing
Forest bathing is a great way to get closer to nature and to discover the magic of the forest with all your senses. The calming effect of forest baths also has a scientifically proven positive effect on your health.
Health benefits: It can lead to enhanced mental sharpness, stress reduction, improved sleep, and a stronger immune system. Where: In the forest. Duration: 1-3 hours.
Mindful hiking strengthens your five senses (sight, sound, smell, touch and taste) and increases your presence, receptiveness and awareness of your surroundings. It also awakens curiosity and playfulness.
Health benefits: Can lead to increased body awareness, calmness, and presence. Where: A hiking trail, park, or garden. Duration: 30-60 minutes.
Combine a lovely time at the beach with comfortable exercises for wellbeing and increased presence. Practicing mindfulness has a scientifically proven positive effect on our health.
Health benefits: Can lead to increased attention, improved emotional balance and body awareness. Where: On the beach. Duration: 30 minutes.
An evening ritual can improve the quality of your sleep, and it is also a way to soothe your body and soul with kindness and gratitude.
Health benefits: Re-charging, relaxation, wellbeing for the body, mind, and soul. Where: At your own home or in a holiday home, hotel, B&B etc. Duration: 1 hour.
To take a cold bath, or going on a winter swim gives you a wonderful possibility to connect with nature. Take care of yourself, get resilience training, and be in a happy place.
Health benefits: Can strengthen the immune system, improve stress management, sleep, blood circulation, lower blood pressure and your increase you general mental wellbeing.
Where: In a lake, at the sea, or in a cold tub. Duration: 30-60 minutes.
Take your time and embrace nature and the surroundings. Use all your senses to experience the wild birdlife. It teaches you the patience of waiting, feeling the excitement of discovering a new species for the first time.
Health benefits: Bird watching can strengthen your physical and mental health. Duration: 1 – 3 hours.
Sleeping outside listening to the sounds of nature, breathing cold, fresh air, and being wakening by the early morning sun will give strength, nourishment, and health benefits to your body, mind, and soul.
Health benefits: Reset your circadian rhythm, improve cognitive function, enhance your mood, increase brain activity and find inner peace.
Being aware of your social responsibilities is important. Equal, kind, and openhearted treatment of others is the foundation of social equality and inclusion, and an essence of wellbeing tourism. Personal engagement, communication, and accessibility are important topics. Treat everyone in the same way. Engage yourself in achieving positive interactions with your colleagues and guests. Be openminded and show understanding for differences in culture, personality, and for people’s different needs.
An important part of your wellbeing food or dishes, is the appearance. Food design such as decoration, colours, combination of raw materials and texture variations, as well as using differnt shapes, can play a big role in how your offers will be recieved. The phrase ”we eat with our eyes” agrees well with how guests and customers choose their food. Presenting your food in a tasty, natural and appealing way is especially important in the present time, particularly if you communicate your offers with photos on your website and in social media. Even if you are less active online, your offers can flourish by having your guests’ photograph, share and tag your company, or the food they buy.
This booklet inspires you to develop your brand in line with your wellbeing offers and invites you to join the brand, Home of Wellbeing, around the southern Baltic Sea.
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