A Nature Experience in the Lapland Taiga – winner of the Eco Tourism award
An immersive nature experience in the Lapland taiga, where guests gain insights into the natural world, is the foundation of Kaisu och Lars Malmström at Rajamaa.
They have now been awarded the Grand Travel Award Eco Tourism Award.
For 40 years, they have welcomed guests to Muonionalusta on the island of Pitkäsaari in the river Muonioälven, located between Finland and Sweden.
On Thursday evening, they received the Ecotourism Award 2025 at the Grand Travel Award gala. Present at the event were Lars and Axel Malmstrom.
– Of course, our guests are the most important evaluators of our work. We were very surprised to receive the Ecotourism Award. It’s great to be recognised for what we do and to know it’s appreciated. It’s easy to get caught up in your own work, so getting external validation is very rewarding, says Lars.
The Place, the Guests, the Experience
Rajamaa employs eight seasonal staff and records around 3,000 guest nights annually. Guests primarily come from Europe, excluding Scandinavia, with most visitors from France. In recent years, they have also welcomed guests from Australia, the United States, and India.
Guests can participate in various activities, including snowshoe hiking, skiing trips, and packages that include visits to a sled dog business or a Sámi family to learn about their life and culture.
– For us, it’s not the activities that matter most but the experience of being here in the forested landscape. During our guided tours, we explain aspects of the surroundings, nature, and what it’s like to live here, so guests leave with more than just the memory of walking on snowshoes, says Lars.
Sustainable Business and Nature Conservation
Some sceptics argue that running a sustainable ecotourism business is incompatible with flying in long-distance guests.
– I understand the debate; it’s a difficult issue. I would love to see people travelling by train, but trains are unreliable, and travelling here from Europe takes time. As long as the planes to Kittilä airport are full and people stay here for a while, it’s acceptable. The bigger issue is trips to Spain, where swimming pools are filled with drinking water.
Lars and Kaisus’s commitment to nature goes beyond educating guests about its value. They also manage 30–40 sheep to maintain open landscapes. Their fishing trips have adhered to a catch-and-release policy for many years, and they are active participants in forestry debates.
– Our most significant contribution to nature conservation has been restoring the Kinnerpuuska river branch, which had been dry for 40 years.
Water, Wine, and "Forest Mismanagement"
– The biggest threat to our business is modern Swedish "forest mismanagement". Clear-cutting destroys the land, causes major environmental problems, and negatively impacts on our living environment. We love being in the forest and have chosen to live here, but it’s disappearing. There are areas where we can no longer take our guests due to logging.
Lars and Kaisu’s motivation stems from their passion for nature, outdoor life, and the desire to live and work in the sparsely populated region they call home.
– We had no experience in tourism when we started in 1986. If you want to live in a rural area, you have to create your own opportunities. Starting a business is like getting into a boat, rowing, and trying to find a positive direction. Over the years, we’ve faced both challenges and successes – from the Chernobyl disaster when we started, to ash clouds over Iceland, COVID-19, and the war in Ukraine. You just try to make it work as best as possible, both programmatically and financially. This industry is a barometer, influenced by factors beyond your control.
No Easy Wins or Quick Fixes
As a small family business in the northern borderlands, "guerrilla marketing" is the way to attract guests and gain visibility, according to Lars.
– Many thinks marketing is glamorous. It’s not. You have to work at it constantly. I fly to Europe, buy an Interrail ticket, and travel around visiting existing and potential customers. You have to do the groundwork. There are no easy wins like in wrestling, and no quick fixes.
Over the years, they’ve participated in workshops and large trade fairs.
– I’ve stopped doing that; it doesn’t generate bookings. It’s more effective to reach out directly.
Quality Certification Matters
Rajamaa has been quality labeled by Natur’es Best, the quality label for sustainable nature experiences, for several years.
– We’ve always targeted a market of travellers who are conscious of and value sustainable nature experiences. It was actually the younger generation who encouraged us to get certified, as many people don’t know much about sustainable eco tourism. It’s a selling point, says Lars Malmström.
Motivation for the Grand Travel Award Ecotourism 2025
The Malmström family has run Rajama in the small village of Muonionalusta on the island of Pitkäsaari (Långön) since 1986. They do so with a deep love for nature, people, animals, and Sámi culture.
Through their ecotourism business, which has been quality labeled by Nature’s Best for many years, they keep the area alive and enable permanent residence.
By working with small visitor groups, they ensure unique experiences and leave guests with a deeper understanding and appreciation of sustainability, nature conservation, and Sámi life and heritage.
About the Grand Travel Award Ecotourism Award
Since 2001, Swedish Nature and Ecotourism Association, in collaboration with the travel industry magazine Travel News, has recognized the business that best embodies the spirit of Sweden’s ecotourism.
Swedish Nature and Ecotourism Association oversees the nomination process, and anyone can submit a nomination. The association’s board selects the winner.
More:
Rajama's company information on Nature´s Best
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Text: Ulrica Dahlqvist, Swedish Nature and Ecotourism Association.
Swedish Nature and Ecotourism Association, "Nationellt nav för hållbar turism", with funding from
