Economic sustainability

Scandinavian Resorts feels an equal responsibility to care for people, the environment and profitability. We’ve joined forces with other businesses and organisations in Sälen to help strengthen the region’s position in competition with other European tourist destinations. As a measure of our potential, Sälenfjällen is already Scandinavia’s biggest winter tourism destination, with an annual turnover of more than SEK 2.5 billion.



Scandinavian Mountains Airport – a new airport with a focus on lower emissions
Scandinavian Mountains Airport has a clear incentive to care for the natural environment in which it operates and aims to combine accessibility with zero fossil-fuel use. Its focus is on reducing flight emissions, rather than air travel itself. 

The airport is being built on the same site as the former Sälen Airport, which opened in the early 1970s. Its strategic location in the heart of the Nordic countries’ largest alpine region, surrounded by a breathtaking natural environment, will pave the way for an increase in visitors to the region year-round. Tourism is an important industry in this unique region, making a truly sustainable approach to development all the more crucial.

One of the project’s aims is increased energy efficiency across the full spectrum of airport operations. This will be achieved through a gradual increase in the facility’s electrification as well as other forms of technological development. Accordingly, a shift in fuel source, combined with the parallel technological development, will play a key role.

Scandinavian Mountains Airport will collect excavated materials as well as tree branches, tops and stumps remaining after felling in the area during the construction phase, so that no waste ends up in landfill. LED lamps will also be installed along the runway and in the terminal and garage complex. The facility will also make use of geothermal heating and fuel spills will be prevented by installing oil separators and tank dikes. The airport will also perform on-going work environment inspections and ensure that the mined rock used in construction is sourced from local mines.

Once the airport opens, the tariffs levied on airlines will be set to favour those that use the most modern aircraft, so as to promote a reduction in emissions and noise. The airport will also work to further minimise air, land and water emissions, the use of chemicals and waste production.

Scandinavian Mountains Airport is a member of the regional airport association Sveriges Regionala Flygplatser (SRF), one of whose aims is to establish fossil fuel-free aviation by the year 2030.

The Swedish aviation industry has drafted a road map aimed at helping domestic carriers transition to fossil-free fuels via industry organisation the Swedish Air Transport Society. This plan lays out how domestic air travel can become fossil fuel-free by 2030 and how flights originating from Swedish airports can achieve this same goal by 2045. 

From a global standpoint, the aviation industry’s carbon dioxide emissions represent approximately two per cent of total global emissions. Aviation’s total climate footprint is assessed to be equivalent to up to four per cent of global CO2 emissions, since some of these emissions occur at high altitudes.

Sweden’s share of global carbon dioxide emissions equates to around 2 per mille. Within Sweden itself, aviation’s CO2 emissions (domestic and international) account for approximately five per cent of total emissions nationwide. It is estimated that, initially, Scandinavian Mountains Airport’s contribution to Swedish aviation’s CO2 emissions will equal 2 per mille.

In other words, the climate footprint when travelling in a plane filled to capacity will be about the same as driving the same route alone in an ordinary petrol-powered car.