LAKU – From the valley to the hills: creating visibility for the rural tourism by digitalization and productizing

The project focuses on improving the competitiveness of micro and small enterprises in the tourism sector in Northern Ostrobothnia, modernizing operations and developing products for consumers, e.g. in line with the new needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic and Visit Finland's sustainable development and internationality criteria.

In addition to internationalization, another major theme is the need to digitize the tourism industry and thus increase enterprises’ digital capabilities. The corona crisis hit the tourism sector particularly hard, whose support for the development and renewal of new services and products will support the sector's recovery.

The aim of the project is to improve the attractiveness, visibility, accessibility, and shopping of tourism services provided by companies. As the project activities are utilized the workshops for tourism operators carried out primarily as functional webinars, virtual facilitation methods, and peer review and development. One of the project's key aspects is to strengthen the authenticity of the tourism elements of micro and SMEs, and the productization of attractiveness and experientiality of the regions outside strong tourist centers, in line with the principles of sustainable development.

Project is funded by European Regional Development Fund, NIHAK, the Municipality of Kärsämäki, Raahen seudun kehitys and Kerttu Saalasti säätiö. Total sum of funding is 374 928 €.

Contact person:

University of Oulu Kerttu Saalasti Institute: Ulla Lehtinen, project manager (ulla.lehtinen@oulu.fi)
NIHAK: Alina Pihlajaniemi (alina.pihlajaniemi@nihak.fi)
Raahen seudun kehitys: Mika Niskanen (mika.niskanen@raahe.fi)
Kattilakosken kulttuuriosuuskunta: Virpi Ruotsalainen (kattilakoski.osuuskunta@gmail.com)