Participants - Saami
The Saami are the Indigneous peoples of northern Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Their country is called "Sápmi". While Saami cultural ecotourism is a well-developed industry, there is no central organization overseeing its development.
Three representatives from the Saami communities participated in the conference: one from Norway and two from Sweden. What they brought to the table was in-depth knowledge based on traditional wisdom and hands-on experience.
It also became evident that their concerns were slightly different from those of Canadian Aboriginal peoples. Whereas the Cree and Inuit were concerned about intellectual property and emphasized the authenticity of their products, the Saami were concerned about intellectual property but emphasized the quality of their products. One Saami representative is very active with Nature's Best, "a selection of the best nature tours in Sweden" but whether or not the products were "authentic Saami" or not was of secondary concern; of primary concern was the quality of the product.
