Our Approach

Kanava Resort is dedicated to fostering more responsible tourism. We achieved the Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) label in spring 2026. In December 2024, Good Travel Seal certification was awarded to Kanava Resort, and the certification was renewed in 2026. You can find the results here. As a Metsähallitus partner Kanava Resort is committed to sustainable and seal-friendly tourism on Lake Saimaa. For us, sustainability is a commitment to tangible actions that help protect the unique nature of Lake Saimaa and preserve the region’s rich cultural heritage.

Construction Phase

  • Kanava Resort’s villas are built from cross-laminated timber (CLT). As a building material, CLT stores the carbon absorbed by trees as they grow, keeping it stored even after the trees have been harvested.
  • The villas were built almost entirely in a factory and transported to Oravi as modules. This helped keep the on-site construction phase at Kanava Resort shorter.
  • For landscaping, we’ve used mor, a sort of natural forest floor mat, which remains mostly in its natural state and requires minimal maintenance after the first season.

Villa’s Heating and Maintenance

  • During winter, the villas are kept at a base temperature of 18°C when unoccupied. Before guests arrive, the temperature is increased to 22°C.
  • During summer, the base temperature is kept at 20°C.
  • All villas are equipped with air-source heat pumps. When the villas are unoccupied, we close the curtains to help retain heat in winter and prevent the villas from overheating in summer.

Cleaning and Waste Management

  • Villas are cleaned only at the end of each stay.
  • Only used towels and bed linens are laundered, with gentle detergents to minimize environmental impact.
  • We provide refillable shampoo and shower gel bottles instead of disposable ones, and these are replaced only when fully empty.
  • Our waste management system includes sorting and recycling. The waste station available to guests year-round includes bins for mixed waste, glass, metal, and cardboard, with bio-waste bins available during peak seasons.

Accessibility

  • Kanava Resort is located on an island within the Saimaa archipelago, accessible by both land and water. Paths on the resort grounds are primarily gravel, which can be slightly uneven depending on the season. These paths also serve as emergency routes and are maintained throughout the winter.
  • Currently, none of our cottages are fully accessible, as access to cottages and storage facilities requires stairs.
  • The construction of Kanava Resort is staged, and as our business expands, we plan to hopefully add more cottages, including one that is fully accessible.

Cultural Heritage

  • Our property includes a preserved piece of local history: a beacon believed to be the oldest of its kind in the Saimaa area, standing at Kanava Resort’s cape since 1892.
  • An old vaulted cellar on the property is also carefully restored with respect to its history. Kanavan kellari now serves as a venue for meetings and celebrations.

Ethical Guidelines

  • Kanava Resort welcomes everyone, regardless of gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, physical ability, religion, or political beliefs.
  • All Kanava Resort employees and partners are committed to adhering to our ethical guidelines.

In addition to our own actions, we encourage our guests to practice responsible tourism during their stay. We provide guidance on sustainable water usage and encourage them to keep sustainability in mind in all aspects of their visit.

A woman sits in a modern sauna with sleek design and lighting, surrounded by a dark forest area.

Sustainable Tourism Principles

  1. We engage in fair and collaborative partnerships.
  2. We care for the natural environment.
  3. We respect cultural heritage.
  4. We promote well-being, human rights, and equality.
  5. We prioritize local resources.
  6. We invest in safety and quality.
  7. We consider our impact on the climate.
  8. We communicate openly.
  9. We continuously improve our business practices.
  10. We are committed to sustainable tourism principles.

For more details on Visit Finland’s sustainable tourism principles, click here.

How you can help

The development of sustainable tourism requires not only the efforts of tourism businesses but also the contributions of travelers. Together, we can mitigate and reduce the emissions caused by tourism, making travel more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Even small actions can have a significant impact.

You can find our guidelines for a more sustainable stay here. Thank you for your consideration!