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Lake Saimaa tourism destination cooperation
Published on 30 October 2020
Finland
Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi
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About this good practice
Lake Saimaa (largest lake district in Europe) in Eastern Finland is the area with biggest tourism growth potential in Finland. It has been fragmented for decades into five regions and multiple municipalities with separate policies. More cohesion was needed and ability to use structural funds programmes in inter-regional macro projects covering the tourism area. Until 2013, DMOs/cities promoted tourism on their own. In 2013 consensus about cooperation was reached in the southern part of Lakeland area. In 2013 Savonlinna and Mikkeli initiated cooperation which in 2016 expanded to South Karelia. City of Varkaus joined in 2017.
Under “Saimaa Treaty” the stakeholders jointly created an international destination brand “Lake Saimaa Purest Finland” with the participation of c. 100 tourism SMEs. They established cooperation with the national tourism organization Visit Finland and started tourism promotion campaigns in China, Japan, Italy, Germany and Russia. According to the treaty 1 Meur p.a. is dedicated for promotion. In 2016 cooperation with the city of St. Petersburg (Russian Federation) started and developed into CBC cross border programme project 2019-2022 involving Russian and Finnish partners.
“Saimaa Treaty” was renewed for 2020-2025. An association was set up to develop strategy, online presence and joint ownership of the IPRs. Partner employees carry our practical work in cities and municipalities providing authentic content for tourism promotion.
Under “Saimaa Treaty” the stakeholders jointly created an international destination brand “Lake Saimaa Purest Finland” with the participation of c. 100 tourism SMEs. They established cooperation with the national tourism organization Visit Finland and started tourism promotion campaigns in China, Japan, Italy, Germany and Russia. According to the treaty 1 Meur p.a. is dedicated for promotion. In 2016 cooperation with the city of St. Petersburg (Russian Federation) started and developed into CBC cross border programme project 2019-2022 involving Russian and Finnish partners.
“Saimaa Treaty” was renewed for 2020-2025. An association was set up to develop strategy, online presence and joint ownership of the IPRs. Partner employees carry our practical work in cities and municipalities providing authentic content for tourism promotion.
Resources needed
Operational team with coordinator from each partner of the consortium.
Pooled tourism promotion resources, c. 1 mEur p.a.
Annual budget for maintaining online visibility for the joint tourism brand, c. 0,1 mEur p.a.
Pooled tourism promotion resources, c. 1 mEur p.a.
Annual budget for maintaining online visibility for the joint tourism brand, c. 0,1 mEur p.a.
Evidence of success
Recognition of the area by Visit Finland: Largest number of fam trips and media visits in Finland 2017-2018. Launching of cross-border tourism cooperation with St. Petersburg. Start of negotiations with over 100 tour operators. Opening of Ryanair connections to LPR from BER, VIE, (BGY, discontinued). The area has not so far managed to increase tourism volumes significantly, due to lacking sales channels. (In covid-19 pandemic, international tourism was partly compensated by domestic visits).
Potential for learning or transfer
- Model for networking is replicable - with dedicated contact person participating from each stakeholder. There has to be dedication for building trust for long term cooperation.
- We learned that in a proposed centralized organization roles of different parties we difficult to define and opted for networked cooperation model.
-Based on Lake Saimaa experience it can be recommended that tourim region with similar product offer combine forces for as greater impact of promotion campaigns. On the national level this enabled the partnership with national tourism organization.
- A major obstacle for cooperation was fragmented ownerships of IPRs related to the brand. Joint ownership through an association was found as a solution.
- We learned that in a proposed centralized organization roles of different parties we difficult to define and opted for networked cooperation model.
-Based on Lake Saimaa experience it can be recommended that tourim region with similar product offer combine forces for as greater impact of promotion campaigns. On the national level this enabled the partnership with national tourism organization.
- A major obstacle for cooperation was fragmented ownerships of IPRs related to the brand. Joint ownership through an association was found as a solution.
Further information
Website
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Organisation
Lake Saimaa Association
Finland
Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi
Contact
Senior advisor