Along the coastline of the Gulf of Bothnia there are today many companies and municipalities that have little or no cooperation with the purpose of attracting new visitors. The meeting in Haparanda, with destination marketing organisations from all around the project area (read more here), was to establish networks on the DestinationMarketing Organisation (DMO) -level. The project team has also started up conducting a proper inventory of the companies and attractions, and their offering along the coast lines.
The purpose of the inventory is to create an understanding of the overall offering of the coastline today like travel reason and travel attractiveness, but also to create an understanding of which activities, efforts and targets have been carried out for a sustainable destination development.
– We know that there are many similarities between all the different local destinations along the route, such as nature, culture, scenery and in general a strong sustainability interest and focus, which creates a strong purpose of working more closely together, tells Peter Källberg, from the project team and Vasek.
The companies that do correspond to the project criterias and for further work and activities within the project are to be contacted latest June 30th. These are activity companies, accommodation, restaurants, sights etc, in other words all that is needed for successful packaging.
– The interest has so far been good, and the companies see the benefit of participating in coming activities, continues Seija Vesala from the project team and Kalajoki.
After the summer holidays, the project leaders will start combining mapped products from all the destinations, creating thematic sample packages.
– Together we will have a great offer of round trips around the Bothnian coast, to present to tour operators on the European market.
– But we must be patient. After contracting the tour operators and agencies these need to sell the tours to the end market. This is a process that takes up to three years, sometimes less, sometime longer, before we can welcome guests, reminds Karin Åberg, from the project team and Luleå Business Region .
Companies along the coast that already work with tourism export, or are interested in foreign tourism, are welcome to get in touch with the project or will be contacted.
This Interreg Aurora financed project started January 1st, 2023. Read more here.
