Tourism development and cooperation
Coastal and Rural Gems
The aim of the Coastal and Rural Gems project is to strengthen the competitiveness of tourism businesses in Finland’s coastal and rural areas by developing tourism products that cross regional boundaries and by increasing cooperation between businesses. The project brings together tourism businesses, municipalities and development organisations from different coastal areas to work on joint development.
Connecting Coastal Gems and Rural Experiences 2026-2028
What is it about?
Objective:
The objective of the Coastal and Rural Gems project is to strengthen the competitiveness of tourism businesses in Finland’s coastal and rural areas by developing tourism products across regional boundaries and increasing cooperation between businesses. The project brings together tourism businesses, municipalities and development organizations from different coastal areas for joint development work.
Concrete measures:
The project organizes networking, benchmarking activities and workshops based on service design, where new tourism products and multi-region tour packages are developed. In addition, businesses’ expertise is strengthened through pilot projects in utilizing customer insight and using digital tools, such as artificial intelligence.
Results:
• Strengthen the competitiveness of tourism businesses in coastal and rural areas
• Develop new tourism products and multi-region tour packages
• Increase cooperation and partnerships between businesses and regions
• Strengthen businesses’ expertise in productization, service design and customer insight
• Improve businesses’ capabilities to utilize digitalization and artificial intelligence
• Build an operating model for tourism development that crosses regional boundaries
Project duration: 1.9.2026-30.6.2028
Funder: Mainland Finland Rural Development Programme, funded by the Southeast Finland Vitality Centre
Implementers
Organization name and contact person
Cursor Oy | Visit Kotka-Hamina – Mats Selin
Organization name and contact person
Kristiinankaupungin elinkeinokeskus Oy|Visit Kristinestad – Helena Patoranta
Organization name and contact person
City of Porvoo | VisitPorvoo – Katri Nikiforow
Organization name and contact person
City of Pori | VisitPori – Maria Rasmussen
Organization name and contact person
City of Raseborg | Visit Raseborg – Pia Ewalds
Organization name and contact person
Municipality of Sipoo | Visit Sipoo – Jenni-Maria Könönen
Organization name and contact person
City of Uusikaupunki | Visit Uusikaupunki – Irmeli Laiho-Andersson
Organization name and contact person
Visit Seinäjoki Region Oy | Sari Hyttinen
Organization name and contact person
City of Raahe | Visit Raahe – Terhi Eteläinen
Organization name and contact person
Kokkolan Matkailu Oy | Visit Kokkola – Jari Kola
