Viesselä countryside
Funders
Project information
Project duration
-
Project funder
Funding amount
83 975 EUR
Project coordinator
Koillis-Suomen kehittämisyhtiö Naturpolis Oy
Unit and faculty
Contact information
Contact person
- Research Director, Regional Excellence (REx)+358 (0) 29 448 7852
Project description
Diverse business and economic activity is key to keeping rural areas populated and vibrant. In the future, the attractiveness of rural areas will be enhanced by smart solutions and new service models. In developing rural services, it is important to take into account the needs of businesses in terms of different marketing channels and skills development. From the perspective of rural residents, the ability to remain inhabited is supported by good accessibility of services, providing opportunities not only for permanent residents but also for seasonal residents, such as remote workers. This in turn increases demand and contributes to the development of business opportunities and vitality in rural areas.
The "Viesselä" countryside project, which will run from 1 Jun 2025 to 28 Feb 2027, is to develop the networking of businesses and residents in the rural areas of Koillismaa, to improve the supply and accessibility of services and thus maintain the vitality of the countryside. The project will increase customer understanding of rural service needs and explore the current service offerings of businesses and opportunities for business expansion, for example through new product or service innovations. As a result, existing services have become easier to find, service paths have become clearer and their accessibility in the region has improved. Networking and cooperation between rural businesses will increase as a result of the project. "Viesselä" is an old Southern Kuusamo dialect word meaning good - "viesselä" countryside thus ensures good housing and entrepreneurship in the countryside.
Project is coordinated by Koillis-Suomen kehittämisyhtiö Naturpolis Oy.