Project

Destination Kvarken

Improved visibility and more visitors to the Kvarken region through cross-border cooperation.
Vinnare av Scandinavian Outdoor Awards
Cooperation
40
tourism companies (about) are brought together in the project
Quantity
7
destination companies are united in the Kvarken region
Distance
4,5
hourly journey across Kvarken in the Gulf of Bothnia, between Vaasa and Umeå
Destination Kvarken

Budget
1 675 000 euro

Project timetable
1.8.2018 – 31.12.2021

Partners
Kvarken Council (Lead Part) | Vaasa Region Development Company VASEK | Hanken School of Economics | Umeå Municipality | Visit Umeå AB | Höga Kusten Destinationsutveckling AB

Main financiers
Interreg Botnia-Atlantica

Co-financiers
Kvarken Council (FI) | Vaasa Region Development Company VASEK (FI) | Hanken School of Economics (FI) | Umeå Municipality (SE) | Höga Kusten Destinationsutveckling AB (SE) | Regional Council of Ostrobothnia (FI) | Region Västerbotten (SE) | Region Västernorrland (SE) | Provincial Government Västernorrland (SE) | City of Vaasa/Visit Vasa (FI) | Visit Lakeus Ltd (FI) | Kokkola Tourism Ltd (FI) | Jakobstad Region Development Company Concordia Ltd (FI) | Visit Kristinestad Ltd (FI) | NLC Ferry Ltd (FI)

For further information
Marianne Sjöström, Project leader Kvarken council, +358 40 678 8375

kvarken
About the project

Improved visibility together and more visitors to the Kvarken region through a cross-border cooperation project financed by Botnia-Atlantica

The Destination Kvarken project (marketing name Kvarken Destinations) will help exportable small and medium enterprises with focus on hospitality industry to reach out to new and bigger markets for more growth and competitiveness.

The projects main target is to increase the amount of domestic and foreign tour operators who include our area in their supply, by developing a concept for shared and intensified marketing activities. Further, we plan to arouse media interest in our destination, resulting in increasing visibility both towards the desired tour operators and also towards the end-customers in our priority markets.

The purpose is to increase the amount of visitors in our destination covered by the following destination management organizations’ area of operation: Visit Vaasa, Visit Umeå, the High Coast of Sweden, Seinäjoki Region, Visit Kokkola, Visit Jakobstad Region and Visit Kristinestad.

Further, the project aims at arousing media interest in order to gain more visibility, both in the eyes of tour operators but also end customers in some prioritised markets. Sustainability and equality are important values in the project.

The project shall promote growth, not just through internationalisation but also through a conscious focus on digitalisation, research and development, and the opportunities this offers for improving the competitiveness of the tourism industry in this region. Hanken School of Economics will provide this competence in the project.

Photo: Lola Akinmade Akerstrom

Website – Two countries, a world of contrasts.

The webpage about our destination focused on hospitality industry – Take a tour – learn more about Kvarken Destinations and find around 130 images, videos, teases and 20 theme articles, in English and German, about Kvarken Destinations in the content bank on the same page.

Take a look: https://kvarkendestinations.com

kvarken destinations webb
Interreg_logo_eng
Projects pressroom

Project description
Project description

Project implementation

Summary of the project implementation

Reports, publications and information material
The project briefly
Product Manual for Tour Operators 2020 (pdf)
Destination kvarken broschyr
Film – presentation
Graphic instructions
Photo guide

Article about Kvarken Destinations i Das Nordis-Magazin
Kvarken Destinations appendix in NORDIS – Das Nordeuropa Magazin (2/21)

Reports performed by Hanken Svenska handelshögskolan

Trends for Business and Destination Development

Destination Management Organisation in the Middle of a Corona Pandemic
Video presentation (Youtube): Destination Management Organisation in the Middle of a Corona Pandemic

We will survive the coronavirus crisis together (06/2020)
Video presentation (Youtube): We Will Survive the Coronavirus Crisis Together

Future Strategy for Kvarken Destinations

Summer 2020 Tourism in the Kvarken region

Tour operator view on Kvarken Destinations
Video presentation (Youtube): Tour operator view on Kvarken Destinations. Survey provided by Hanken School of Economics

Digital maturity in tourism companies (swe)
Digital maturity in tourism companies – Summary (swe)
Digitalization of Kvarken Destinations
Big Data for Business Development

Analysis of the social media content
Video presentation (Youtube): Analysis of the social media content
Analysis of the quality of company website
Video presentation (Youtube): Analysis of the quality of company website

Press releases
Press releases MATKA
15.06.2018
New tourism project in the Kvarken region – Together for expanded and strengthened cooperation

Newsletter
2021
Destination Kvarken Infobrev 1/2021
Destination Kvarken Infobrev 2/2021
Destination Kvarken Infobrev 3/2021 
Destination Kvarken Infobrev 4/2021

2019-2020
Newsletter 1
Info letter 1
Info letter 2
Info letter 3
Info letter 4
Info letter 5
Info letter 6
Info letter 7
Info letter 8
Info letter 9
Intranet
To intra

Contact persons

Marianne Sjöström

Marianne Sjöström

Project Manager Bothnian Coastal Route marianne.sjostrom@kvarken.org +358 40 678 8375