The aim of the project was to develop new tourism offerings and co-operation between Lake Saimaa area, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region in order to grow tourism business and to create new business opportunities for tourism service providers. The overall objectives were to attract businesses to invest, locate and operate in the program area, to create new collaborative tourism networks, to increase tourism flows from Finland, Russia and the third countries and to develop low/shoulder season tourism in the cross-border area. Co-operation took place in tourism marketing, product development and sales. The project wanted to increase the awareness of both tour operators and tourists about the possibility of connecting these destinations in cross-border tourism. A brand concept “One destination of two distinct experiences” was created, which combines two different regions into one attracting travel destination. New customers were especially attracted from Central Europe, but the brand was promoted also for operators in Asia and the USA. A comprehensive destination manual with information about logistics, visa regime, services etc. was created. Besides marketing, the manual serves as an informative tool for tour operators planning a trip to the area. For the same purposes an information platform TravelCorridor.info was created. Other outputs include a podcast series, a VR tour of Imatra, brochures etc. In the Leningrad Region electronical information boards were installed with area information for tourists.
Marketing research was conducted, and its results were utilized in product development. Totally 11 travel packages combining Russian and Finnish destinations were created for sale. Some of the packages were tested on FAM trips that also were organized to promote the area. Feedback of packages was received through a product testing survey too, where 40 tourism professionals from Europe gave their opinion about them. Additionally, activity products were developed by SMEs for international travel groups. Besides creating news products and finding new target customers, one of the objectives of the project was to equip service providers with better skills. SMEs were involved in FAM trips, workshops, networking events, closing seminar and travel package development. The events gave them a good opportunity to learn new skills (e.g. of productization) for co-operation with international tour operators and to network with each other, project partners and DMOs/DMCs.
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