Product Creation for Marketing Valkeatie Tourism
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The goal of the project was to market and increase the promotion of Valkeatie as a concept and as a tourism brand. Several types of tourism activities were to be created around the brand both in Finland and in the Republic of Karelia. Socioeconomic development of the area functioned as the overall objective of the project.

Main activities

• Participation in several different fairs and presenting the project to domestic media, the Finnish Board and the European Parliament Committee on Budgets, • Arrangement of trial trips for the companies and familiarization trips for reporters, • Creation of 15 new tourism products.

Achievements

The awareness of the Valkeatie road was increased as planned, by participating in several different fairs and by presenting the project to, for example, the domestic media, the Finnish Tourist Board and the European Parliament Committee on Budgets when they visited Kuusamo. The project also arranged trial trips for companies and familiarisation trips for reporters, which were used to create 15 new tourism products during the project. New tourism products were still under development upon the conclusion of the project. The project had a positive impact on employment as four new jobs were created through the project. In addition, investments related to tourism were made in the Louhi region during the project. According to the participating companies, awareness of the region increased considerably during the project. In particular, interest in the northern areas of the Republic of Karelia has been strengthened significantly. The project contributed to creating an increased focus on the Valkeatie tourism area in the field of tourism in Northern Finland. A significant change in attitudes toward local tourism has occurred and trust in the cooperation between counterparts of the two countries has increased. The project generated an interest in cooperation in new entities on both sides of the border and a perception that local tourism is a growing business activity. In addition, the attitudes of officials toward local tourism are now more positive.