Experience It at Koli! – tourism cooperation and vacation property marketing development project
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The most essential goal of the project was to develop the sales prerequisites for vacation properties and travel between North Karelia, the Republic of Karelia and St. Petersburg.

Main activities

• Development of the Koli region’s tourism services and their marketing and sales in cooperation with travel agents in the St. Petersburg area and the tourism committee of the Republic of Karelia in order to meet the demands of Russian tourists. • Strengthening of the tourism image of the Koli and Pielinen Karelia region, creating new connections with travel agents and tourism service providers in the St. Petersburg area and with the vacation property market in Russia. • Establishment of permanent sales channels and systems in connection with Karelia Expert, for tourism products and systems for Russia. • Assessing and implementing a service system intended for the sale of vacation home properties in order to sell plots and holiday homes to Russians, • Production of marketing material in Russian.

Achievements

Tourism services at Koli were revised based on the feedback received from Russian customers, and businesses increased their direct sales to Russian consumers. Development of the ‘An hour from Koli’ tourism product was partially successful: Tourism entrepreneurs understood the advantages of centrally-focused cooperation and marketing better than before. They increased Karelia Expert cooperation as a sales channel for offering services to Russia during the project and began marketing their services under the Koli brand. The development plans made in the project supported the regional development of Koli. The tourism image of the Koli area was successfully strengthened and awareness of Koli services was increased among Russian travel agents and media particularly in St. Petersburg. Russian tourism entrepreneurs increased business with the participating companies and the awareness of Russian customers regarding tourism and the Koli region’s holiday real-estate products was also increased during the project. Marketing material related to Russian tourism and real-estate transactions was developed during the project , the Russian-language service system intended for selling holiday homes proved functional. The activities and marketing material produced under the project led to tangible real-estate business and helped in achieving two large real-estate transactions intended for creating a Russian-owned vacation centre in the area. A new company, Zander Point Oy, was based in Finland thanks in part to the project activities. The company’s business idea was to engage in holiday centre business in the Purnunniemi region in Koli. With help from the project, Zander Point Oy was able to purchase 10 plots from Purnunniemi.