Visit Saimaa Destination Development

18.5.2015

Maisa Häkkinen

VISIT SAIMAA

Tourism development principles in Lake Saimaa area• Cities have delegated responsibility to city owned

development agencies, which coordinate project work.• On the operational level there are tourism associations,

DMCs, incoming agencies: e.g. Savonlinna Travel Ltd. or Mikkeli Region Tourism Association.

• Regional council (Etelä Savo) has produced regional development strategy emphasizing tourism and is EU funding authority.

• Visit Finland supports initiatives inmain tourism areas e.g. Lakeland.

VISIT SAIMAA

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014*0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

Registered bednights Etelä-Savo Germany

Registered bednights Etelä-Savo Russia

Registered bednights Etelä-Savo Switzerland

VISIT SAIMAA

Regional development strategyA. Lake Saimaa will be developed as an international tourism

destination

B. Tourism business will be internationalized: local companies active in international marketing and sales, developing international partnerships and attracting foreign companies

C. Developing customer oriented thematic product using service design methodologies. Improving accessibility of products and networking btw. Entrepreneurs.

D. Developing sustainable tourism and E. business environment: nature, transport, tourism perspective insector development.

VISIT SAIMAA

Implementation of strategyFor 2015-2016 ERDF project funding for Mikkeli and Savonlinna for internationalization project: c. 2,2 mEUR awarded for consortia consisting of top tourism enterprises and development agencies.- Product coordination- International marketing - Initializing cooperation in the whole Lake Saimaa

area and developing cooperation model (…see below).

Vision• Growth: Triple the number of European

tourists in three years. Significant growth from Russian and Asian market.

• Visit Saimaa will an internationally known destination brand with good name recognition in target markets/groups.

• Our distribution in international channels will be efficiently and professionally utilized

• We will have launched significant partnerships with international players and attracted foreign tourism investment

• All cities/regions will join under Lake Saimaa umbrella and have coordinated international marketing

• We will have close partnership with Visit Finland on the national level

VISIT SAIMAA• Mikkeli and Savonlinna economic development

agencies (Miset, Syke) are working working in cooperation since 2014 to develop Lake Saimaa as an international tourism destination.

• VisitSaimaa & MikkeliRegion project 2015-2016• Savonlinna Destination – Visit Saimaa 2020

project 2015-2017• Join international marketing for Visit Saimaa

(www.visitsaimaa.fi)• Goal is substantial growth of tourism and tourism

income from Central Europe, mainly German speaking area and maintaining and improving position in the Russian market.

• More than 40 leading companies from Mikkeli and Savonlinna Region are committed to cooperation.

KASVUA KANSAINVÄLISTYMISESTÄ• Growth of tourism income 3-5 %/ per

annum• Growth of bednigths 5-10 % per

annum (after initialization phase)• Target markets

– Central Europe (German speaking)– Russia, Moscow as new target– Asia – China and Japan

• Developing VisitSaimaa brand– www.visitsaimaa.fi – Content driven expertiential marketing– Saimaa Moments –

www.saimaamoments.fi

SAIMAA MOMENTSALL SENSESHearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, touching: Food, events, music, materials products

LAKE MAGICActivities and modes of being in the lake lake nature: Sports, well-being, nature activities

MYTHS & URBAN LEGENDSLegends, stories, folklore, mythology and fun.

TRUE STORIESWhat is unique on Lake Saimaa – geology, flora fauna, history, people

GO LOCALJoin the Saimaa communities for doing things together and meeting the aboriginals

Product themes

• Culture & Nature• Heritage• Local & Lifestyle• Outdoors Saimaa• Wellbeing Saimaa• Taste Saimaa• Fly & Drive

Actions

• VisitSaimaa website development• VisitSaimaa tourism product• Saimaa Shop webshop and reservation system• Developing international distribution channels (e.g.

charter project).• Joint marketing action• Online marketing campaign• Focused participation in workshops, fairs, sales

runs.• Media, bloggers, tour operator educs• Deepening international partnerships

In cooperation with

In Finland• VisitFinland• Finland Stop Over –project

• GoSaimaa – Lappeenranta, Imatra• Lakeland cooperation with Kuopio,

Joensuu regions

Internationally• St. Petersburg partnerships, Beijing VisitSweden…• Tour operators• Potential investors

KIITOS

Maisa HäkkinenMikkeli Region Development Agency Miset

Pellervo KokkonenSavonlinna Business Services