PAN Village OUlanka (Finland) is now open.
PAN Village opened its holiday park near PAN Park Oulanka offering an opportunity to combine enjoyment and support for wilderness protection. The park opened at the end of January and awaits visitors all year around in its sustainably built traditional log cabins with trendy, modern interiors equipped also with sauna.The opening ceremony of PAN Village Oulanka took place at the end of January when official presentations were followed by a nice old tradition of housewarming parties when bread and salt were presented and shared in order to send blessing for the newly built park. Participants including with investors, local businesses, representatives of the national park, local municipalities and the PAN Parks Foundation could take a tour and actually stay for the night in the park and also enjoy the pleasures of winter in a husky sledge tour.
PAN Village is a financial mechanism, which offers the opportunity to channel tourism related income into wilderness conservation. The concept was developed by socially responsible investors, who develop accommodation facilities around the certified PAN Parks. PAN Village offers unique possibility for visitors to certified PAN Parks to stay in an ecologically responsible accommodation and through their overnight stay support wilderness conservation.
PAN Village currently operates around Fulufjället and Oulanka National Parks, and discusses future operation in a number of other parks. PAN Village pays an annual fixed fee for the PAN Parks Foundation plus a variable amount based on its annual profit rate. This contribution helps the Foundation support conservation projects in the field.