Revitalising Nature Tourism in Lieksanjoki with History
Funded by Euregio Karelia Neighbourhood Programme 2001-2006

Objective of the project

The goal of the project was to revitalise nature tourism in the Lieksajoki area by utilising cross-border history in nature tourism, information services and teaching in Lieksa and Mujejärvi.

Main activities

• Renewal of the Ruuna Visitor Centre exhibition and brochures about the area, • Producing a travel and nature guide for the area, • Development and marketing of new tourism products, • Establishment of partnership school activity to improve the local knowledge of the youth in the area on both sides of the border through • Developing the region’s school camp material. • Job-exchange internships between Lieksa and Mujejärvi to learn about business skills and cultural issues.

Achievements

The history of the Lieksanjoki region was collated using Finnish resources; similarly, stories were also gathered during trips to the Mujejärvi region. History was used as the foundation for the region’s travel and nature guide published by the project and for the educational material produced in cooperation with the virtual school of Lieksa as well as in the Finnish-Russian partnership school cooperation. New products (winter products, products for the Ruunaa Nature Reserve, school camp packages, a total of five customisable product packages) were designed and tested together with the entrepreneurs of the region. Final branding and marketing was handled by the entrepreneurs themselves. The new exhibition, like the travel guide and brochures, contained lots of information from the regions on the Russian side of the border as well. The Visitor Centre exhibition continued at the renovated forest ranger centre. A nature-themed classroom was created in the building, which has space for the nature education materials tested in the project and an exhibition about the partnership school activities. The Employment and Economic Development Centre completed a simultaneous project that repaired structures, paths, nature-trail duckboards, and roads in the region. The travel guide, new brochures, new exhibition at the Visitor Centre and new types of nature travel products contribute to the appeal of Lieksanjoki as a tourist destination and attract more new and returning visitors; therefore, the opportunities for nature travelling in the area are increased.