Industrial tourism refers to the branch of tourism where tourists can experience industrial services and experiences. Destinations can be related to the past, such as museums and local history, to current businesses in the area or to the future. Many people have visited wineries, cheese dairies or historic industrial sites that have been restored for new uses.
Nivala has many destinations suitable for industrial tourism. Finland's largest industrial village, which turns 50 this year, offers interesting places to visit and stories from years gone by. The Hitura mining area and its rich history could be of interest to tourists. Many “former youths” would like to learn more about the activities of the legendary Tuiskula dance hall and the eventful stories of the past.
Nivala is also famous for its cows: a visit to the cowshed and scratching the animals could be a special experience for families with children. For example, a separate exhibition cowshed and a farm shop could be set up in the farm, bringing new activities to the countryside. Fields and forests are an important part of nature in Nivala and the town intends to promote nature tourism in the future. There are many village associations in Nivala which could play a key role in promoting local culture and nature sites. I have no doubt that there are local storytellers, or cultural guides, who could tell stories about local life and livelihoods in the past. Together, even with a little effort, it would be possible to create new tourist attractions in Nivala based on local history, nature and industry.
The Kerttu Saalasti Institute at the University of Oulu is running until 31 March 2025 the NOHEVA project - Low-carbon crisis preparedness from wooden construction and tourism. In addition to promoting timber construction, the project is working with tourism entrepreneurs and operators to develop ideas for industrial tourism in the Nivala region. The aim is to develop new tourism service packages, i.e. visitor destinations that could be offered to both business visitors and regular tourists.
This text has also been published in the opinion section of Nivala magazine on 6 May 2024.
Author:
Ulla Lehtinen, DTech, NOHEVA Project Manager, Kerttu Saalasti Institute, MicroENTRE, University of Oulu.
ulla.lehtinen@oulu.fi
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