Viesselä countryside

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.

As part of the project, a survey will be conducted for people who have worked remotely or are interested in remote work in Kuusamo or Taivalkoski. The aim of the survey is to collect information on remote work experiences as well as the needs, expectations, and development ideas related to remote work in Kuusamo and Taivalkoski. The survey supports local municipalities, regional development actors, tourism developers and companies and other service providers in the development of remote‑work opportunities in the area. The privacy notice for survey participants can be accessed via this link.

The survey is open from February 13 to March 15, 2026 at: https://link.webropol.com/s/koillismaanetatyokysely

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.

Project card is available in maaseutuverkosto-fi web-pages.