By Polly Allen

Photo credit: Visit Saaremaa and Priidu Saart

Ecotourism isn’t retrofitted to the overarching brands of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – it’s tied to a way of life here, to national heritage and hobbies. Bog walking, foraging, wildlife spotting, rural folk art and spending time by water are all expected and encouraged. However, none of these countries are immune to climate change or potential overtourism – and there’s lots to learn about how they responsibly market and practice eco-sensitive travel.

European Green Capital legacies 

Vilnius and Tallinn have both held European Green Capital status in recent years, and they reinforce these credentials by maintaining eco projects and welcoming new initiatives.

“Green tourism in Vilnius isn't separate from our national identity – it's built into it,” says Vilma Daubariene, Head of Tourism at Go Vilnius. “About 60% of Vilnius's territory is covered by green space; that translates into surprising urban wildlife, like wild salmon that swim up to 500km from the Baltic Sea to spawn in the Vilnelė River, or one of Europe's largest hibernating bat colonies in the Antakalnis bunkers.”

Vilma cites the city’s Neris River as a success story. It now boasts “electric, solar-powered riverboats — silent, zero-emission catamarans built into the public transport network” and this year’s new River Festival (Upės Festivalis), which aimed to “bring the river back to everyday life”. Experiences included night kayaking, creative workshops, and a barefoot sensory path. Beyond the tourism industry, divers and hydrobiologists are gradually cleaning the Vilnius section of the riverbed (funded by developers Darnu Group), removing two tonnes of waste and pollutants to support the river ecosystem.

Meanwhile, in Tallinn, a 14km-long Pollinator Highway acts as a green corridor through many districts (a method used globally to encourage biodiversity, walking, and neighbourhood connection: examples include Medellín in Colombia, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia). Eventually, the highway will link to Klindi Park, an ongoing development under the Tallinn 2035 city strategy, which will better connect the city centre with residential Lasnamäe and the seaside area of Pirita.

Island tourism in preservation areas

The West Estonian Archipelago Biosphere Reserve (including the islands of Saaremaa, Muhu, Vormsi, and Hiiumaa) works hard on conserving its 6,000 square miles, under UNESCO-designated protection. Meanwhile, destination management organisations, development agencies, and regional authorities are responsible for green tourism here, recommending guides, experiences, and local specialities.

Hiiumaa has a Gold Award from international sustainability organisation Green Destinations, for its visible initiatives like restoring the European mink population (also a priority on Saaremaa), plus relatively unseen services like good waste management, which affects tourists.

Of course, holidaymakers must also be responsible travellers.

“We need to continually educate visitors in sensitive coastal habitats and bird-nesting areas – for example, encouraging people to use marked trails, follow seasonal restrictions, keep dogs under control, and avoid disturbing wildlife,” says Piret Lang, a Saaremaa-based specialist at the Biosphere Reserve.

“Natural and cultural heritage are closely connected here: coastal and wooded meadows [to] fishing traditions and villages have been shaped by people and nature interacting over many generations.

“By supporting local producers, guides, craftspeople and small businesses, tourists can help maintain these living landscapes and traditions. Also, visiting outside the July–August peak season and staying longer will reduce pressure on popular sites and ensure that tourism benefits island communities.”

Ivika Uusmaa is Tourism Manager for Läänemaa (a region including Vimsi and the spa town of Haapsalu, with 29% of its territory under protection), which has ‘reducing seasonality’ in its tourism development plan 2026-2030.

She adds: “I’d also recommend looking for recognised sustainability certifications and choosing local businesses and experiences that have a genuine connection to the place, whether to our coastal Swedish heritage or Haapsalu’s 200-year-old spa and mud therapy tradition. Often the most authentic experiences are found by slowing down and spending more time here.”

Telling stories through land art 

In Kaunas, Lithuania, Kaunas Artists’ House has a seven-year legacy of land art installations on the banks of the Nemunas River, as part of a community festival called Let’s Celebrate the River! (Švęskime Upę!). Land art is inherently eco-friendly; each artwork only uses natural or biodegradable materials and respects existing biodiversity. Installed for up to 12 months, the works will change with the unfolding seasons and gradually disappear.

“Rivers and landscapes are not only part of the natural environment, but also an important part of cultural memory here,” says Romena Puikytė, of Let’s Celebrate the River! “Especially the Nemunas – the largest river in Lithuania, called ‘the father of the rivers’.”

The festival has included work by land artists such as Inga Raubaitė, Greta Kardi-Kardišiūtė, and sculptor Danielius Sodeika; this year, 1,000 visitors took part in 40 activities: “Land art is getting popular in our cities. Outdoor art trails help people get to know more about the city itself, broaden their perspectives, and strengthen a sense of responsibility to protect our environment for the future. The trails are accessible any time, and can become places for gathering or relaxation.”

“People travel for experiences that make them feel something,” says Svajūnė Dragūnaitė of Lithuania Travel. “In Lithuania, those experiences might mean kayaking through untouched river landscapes, birdwatching in the UNESCO-listed Curonian Spit, foraging with locals, spending a night under a naturally dark sky, or discovering contemporary culture surrounded by nature. In fact, nature is consistently one of our visitors’ strongest travel motivations.”

What we can learn from the Baltics’ approach to ecotourism

Baltic states have intrinsically linked ecotourism with their branding and reputation, with destination management organisations working hard to emphasise local and national links to wildlife, sustainable crafts, and wellness practices.

Here are our biggest takeaways:

• Make sure you can back up any sustainability claims with facts, figures and quotes. Greenwashing (where companies appear eco-friendly to appease customers) is a global problem, and it impacts trust – tourists want to support places and businesses that genuinely help the environment.
• Destination marketing must be authentic to each place, and reflect its unique people, heritage and culture. Working with local partners, such as tour guides, creatives, festivals and companies, means you can offer visitors a wealth of experiences that truly reflect your destination and boost the local economy.
• You have the power to connect sustainable activities to new audiences, uplift your partner organisations, and identify how your area’s eco initiatives might tie into national or global trends.
• Work on developing ‘off-season’ campaigns and partnerships, to spread tourist numbers beyond peak times, reduce environmental impact, and show that your destination has year-round appeal.