On the second seminar day some of the Finnish destination business networks will be presented and pitched. These are regional, national, international and virtual destination business networks comprised of businesses, universities and public sector actors under specific areas where resources in the national Tourism and Experience Management Cluster Programme are allocated for. Each of the five Cluster partners will represent one workshop case, exception Rovaniemi / Lapland region, which will have two cases.
Workshop 1
TV-induced Tourism in Kemijärvi: Case Taivaan tulet
Auli Narkilahti, Manager, Trade and Tourism, City of Kemijärvi, Finland
In 2006 the Finnish TV drama series Taivaan tulet was filmed in the town of Kemijärvi and its vicinity. It was directed by the well-known director Kari Väänänen. Drama series tells about a young policewoman Rauni, her readjustment to new work and new people in her old hometown. Worry about her father makes her move back to Kemijärvi, which also gives strong frames to the series.
Kemijärvi received a lot of positive publicity in 2007 through the drama series Taivaan tulet. Especially beautiful nature and landscapes has called forth enthusiasm among audience. Thanks to the positive feedback, the shooting of the new episodes will start in May 2008. The publicity has been very important and positive for the region.
Workshop 2
Gateway Tourism through Helsinki-Vantaa Airport
Petteri Ohtonen, Research Manager, Haaga-Perho, Finland
Kristian Sievers, Program Director, Tourism and Experience Management Competence Cluster, Culminatum Ltd Oy, Finland
Helsinki -Vantaa airport is becoming one of the most important gateways between Europe and Asia. Helsinki-Vantaa airport and the surroundings is one of the most rapidly growing regions in the metropolitan area. Currently there are several new developments in the tourism sector currently happening e.g. the Flamingo spa and hotel and World Trade Center, to mention a few. Finnair, Finavia and City of Vantaa are working on several projects to increase the number of gateways passengers. For example web-marketing campaign www.viahelsinki.com has been successful.
The challenge for the future is to find ways to increase the activity of gateway tourists beyond the airport area. The aims include to increase the tourism product offering providing experiences from 4- hour stays to 36-hour stays for gateway tourists. The development projects are supported by a in-depth customer research which is currently being carried out.
Workshop 3
http://www.savonlinna.travel/ -eShop
Pia Kokki, Managing Director, Savonlinna Travel, Finland
During last 2,5 years city of Savonlinna has been developing http://www.savonlinna.travel/ –destination portal and eShop. What comes to technology, eShop is already ready but it has been quite difficult to get companies to commit to this system. During the project we have also noticed that transferring services to eShop means a total change to many companies’ business operations and processes. Therefore there are substantial obstacles to the adoption of eTourism solutions. This is a real challenge for the operator of the destination management system. The portal was initiated with EU project funding which ended in 2007. At the beginning of 2008 portal was transferred to Savonlinnan Matkailu Oy. This company is currently redefining its role as a destination management organization and/or destination management company. This development of a new business model is directly connected to the revenue model and operation of the destination portal.
Workshop 4
Old and new Turku (Aboa Vetus & Nova)
Päivi Lappalainen, Program Director, Tourism and Experience Management Competence Cluster, Turku Touring, Turku, Finland
Anne Lukkarila, Development Manager, Haaga-Perho, Finland
Turku is the oldest town in Finland. Since prehistoric time Turku was known as an international market place where merchants from all over Northern Europe met to trade goods and culture. River Aurajoki, medieval cathedral and old town was, and still is the heart of Turku. The banks of the river Aurajoki together with the cathedral, bridges, theatres, chain of museums, events, various themes and services form a cultural landscape known to every Finn. For every inhabitant of Turku River Aurajoki is more like a big green and cosy living room.
This area streching to the both sides of the Aurajoki River is a unique cultural unity that has been chosen as a target for development even on a national level. It creates a chain of culture tourism destinations of high class and international importance and produces services and products of high quality based on the culture and aimed for international markets.
It is most important to create a mutual language and synergy between the owners and producers of culture and the enterprises in tourism sector. With co-operation in product development it becomes possible to create profit on local culture, strengthen the experience “sense of place” – in culturally sustainable way when, at the same time making culture more easily available to everyone.
The chain of culture destinations in Turku, Rovaniemi, Tampere and Helsinki with internationally high standard and importance will give Finland a profile as an interesting culture tourism destination. The target of the development programme is to build an efficient model to be developed the culture based products and destinations and also to define a programme for the development the quality of tourism in the culture destinations, “Culture 1000”.
Workshop 5
SmartHimos
Hannu Pelkonen, Development Manager, Jämsek Oy, Finland
Himos is a fast growing area and so does its tourism industry. In 2015 the number of travelers is expected to rise up to 1.5 million. The demand for this destination will be boosted by various factors. Among others, location, access, substantial infra investment as well as technical and social innovations are the key elements deriving up the demand for Himos tourism industry.
Cooperating together with Jämsek, Jyväskylä Innovation Oy and Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences, Himos officially launched a program called as SmartHimos, which will focus on Energy Efficiency and ICT, in November 2007. The 21st century Energy Efficiency and ICT technology innovation will offer tourists a wide range of new experiences in living, shopping, entertainment and sport in Himos. The objective of SmartHimos is to test services concepts developed in a real environment as we call it Himos - LivingLab. Effective applications and service concepts could be later replicated elsewhere.
One of the first projects started last year is fast growing What - A - Map service. It provides now services in Himos as a pilot project. You can find it form web pages Himos.fi and of course whatamap.com.
From What-A-Map –mobile maps you can find yourself, friends and local services. In near future, visitors are able to get service information tailored to their own profile sent to their mobile phone. They are able to use their phone to check the weather and snow conditions, or even to find out when the restaurant is open and what entertainment is scheduled. – When you feel hungry you can order for example pizza to your cottage. You do not need to send address to pizzeria, information from cottage will be sent to pizzeria automatically. What-A-Map guides you and your pizza service directly for your door.
The difference between What-A-Maps and other mobile applications is that What-a-Maps is a mashup of all local and personal information, shown on an interactive map. The unique concept of What-A-Map -maps is based on the assumption that map images are an intuitive user interface to all local information. It forms an easy context for service advertising.
Workshop 6
Santa Claus´ Village
Juha Seppälä, Managing Director, Rovaniemi Regional Development Agency Ltd., Finland
Santa Claus´ Village is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland, located on the Arctic Circle, only 10 kilometres north of Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland.
Rovaniemi Regional Development Agency Ltd. is committed to develop Santa Claus´ Village in an innovative way to make it even more attractive, interactive and specified Christmas destination.
Experiential marketing and new meaningful experience services, such as virtual experience services, ice-sculpturing and high quality Finnish design, are among the developments which are expected to give new content to not only the tourists but also the local people in the Rovaniemi area, and thus boost the businesses of the village.
