The purpose of this Invitation to Tender is to request tenders on benchmark study to develop Finnish Lapland towards a year-round tourism destination, and more specifically to research Lapland’s potential as a summer destination among activity enthusiasts.
In Finland, the nature is the main tourism attraction, and nature is an important element in any tourism commodification. Nature plays an important role in outdoors tourism as well, and in the summer at the forefront are easy-to-implement and self-sustaining, light outdoor activities such hiking, cycling, mountain biking, kayaking and wildlife watching. In Finland, these outdoor activities are usually combined with the elements from local culture, food and sustainability, and oftentimes packaged by the local operators or by the distribution channels.
Finnish Lapland has a strong brand as a winter travel destination. Strengths are nature-based exotic elements such as snow guarantee and long winter season, Northern lights, polar nights and untouched wilderness. Another key element is quality tourism services and outdoor activities such as cross- country skiing, downhill skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, sleigh rides and snowmobiling. While winter tourism is booming in Finnish Lapland, summer tourism is leaving behind. To improve sustainable travel and develop Lapland as a year-round destination new product and infrastructure planning is needed and planned. While Northern Lights appear as one of the unique selling points for Finnish Lapland in the winter, natural phenomena, such as midnight sun, could be as significant pull factor for summer as the Northern lights are for the winter. Many developments in the recent years in Finnish Lapland have been focusing on mountain biking, and the current infrastructure for such activity equals to many destinations known among mountain bikers and trekkers. For this reason, the key product for this study is chosen to be mountain biking; how to increase the awareness of Finnish Lapland among activity enthusiasts especially interested in mountain biking. This research aims to study, whether this stage can attract international visitors to experience active holidays in Lapland during the summer months from June to September.
Aim: To increase awareness of Lapland as an active holiday / outdoor destination (especially among activity enthusiasts)
Research questions:
•Benchmark: what are / is a similar destination (accessibility wise) to Lapland, which has successfully built its brand around outdoor activities?
•Benchmark: what are / is a destination that has a successful process to turn the image from winter destination to summer activation through outdoor activities?
•What are Lapland’s means of distinguishing itself from other similar destinations; what are the pull factors and unique selling points as an active holiday destination?
•Does accessibility become a hindrance for the development of mountain biking in Lapland?
•Is an activity enthusiast interested in train travel and prepared to take a 10-hour train journey from Helsinki to reach the destination in Lapland?
•Mountain biking is the key product in this study. But what are the supporting products, services and activities, that already exists in Lapland, interest of the target group?
•Does an activity enthusiast look for guided or independent activities?
•Is the selected target group, activity enthusiasts, correct for this study?
•How to reach this target group?
•How much has been invested in mountain biking in Lapland?
The maximum value of a report is EUR 30 000 (excluding VAT) and it will include all costs. Business Finland will not be responsible of any travel related costs or other extra costs incl. invoicing costs.
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