Visit Arctic Europe

07/06/2024

A heartfelt thank you to all who attended our Year-round Development and Culture in Tourism event in Levi this week! 🌟

The AETC's goal is to create a network where tourism professionals can inspire each other, learn from each other, and together make a difference. Your presence and participation were invaluable!

This week’s event marks the kickoff of our efforts in year-round development, with a special focus on autumn and adding an Arctic cultural layer to our products.

We invited experts in food and beverage, local Arctic cultures, performing arts and music, design and architecture, local products and handicrafts, storytelling, and heritage and traditions to help us with these tasks.

Additionally, we were privileged to have market expert Badur and tour operators Emma Maes, Esther Baas, and Janka Schelb join us to provide valuable market insights.

Learning from each other is essential. We were inspired by successful stories from Hege Anita Eilertsen of Museum Nord and representatives Orkney Distilleries in Scotland on the importance of culture in tourism, and from Kati Vehmas of Visit Ylläs and Anneli Lääts of Tromsø Villmarkssenter on year-round development.

Together, we’ve explored new strategies, shared best practices, and built connections that will shape the future of tourism.

To our speakers, panelists, and attendees – thank you for your insights, energy, and dedication to making tourism a dynamic, year-round endeavor.

By working together, we can create sustainable, culturally rich tourism experiences that benefit everyone. Here’s to our shared journey towards a brighter, more connected future in tourism!

A big thank you to Kassiopeia Hotels & Restaurants Summit Hullu Poro - Crazy Reindeer and Ämmilä for hosting us and Visit Levi for organization. 🌍✨

22/01/2024

We are very happy to introduce the Arctic Europe Tourism Cluster.

Building upon the achievements of Visit Arctic Europe I (2015-2018) and Visit Arctic Europe II (2018-2022), this collaborative initiative aims to be the next and stronger step of cross-border cooperation in the Arctic Europe region.

Our Goals:
❄ Innovate B2C and B2B marketing strategies to attract new markets and foster international cooperation.
❄ Cultivate year-round business opportunities and sustainable tourism practices.
❄ Elevate the significance of Arctic culture in shaping immersive tourism experiences.
❄ Enhance digitalization by leveraging post-pandemic traveler behavior insights.
❄ Improve accessibility within and across the Arctic Europe region.
❄ Establish smart, trust-based cross-border networks.

Lapland Tourist Board , Swedish Lapland Visitors Board and NordNorsk Reiseliv – alongside the active collaboration of more than 100 companies across the three countries we are dedicated to shaping a tourism landscape that not only adapts to rapid changes but also exceeds future expectations, benefiting the tourism industry, local societies, and visitors across Arctic Europe.

The project is financed by Interreg Aurora, Region Norrbotten, Regional Council of Lapland, Troms County, Finnmark County, Troms Finnmark and Norland county international program, Trom Holding and Innovation Norway Arctic.

14/10/2022

Visit Arctic Europe project's second phase has come to an end.
Together we have made remarkable results!

We had 2 physical and 2 digital Sales Workshops, with altogether 713 participants. More than 5 500 business meetings were held during these workshops. We organized 25 physical fam trips for tour operators with 174 participants and 21 digital fam trips with 373 participants. Additionally we had 4 physical networking events and 22 different webinar or online event for VAE II companies.

In tactical marketing our 28 contracted tour operators brought more than 65 000 travellers and they had more than 400 000 overnights in VAE region. This has created more than 95M€ new income for this region.

This Is Arctic image marketing campaigns have gained lots of media attention and great results: 134+ media publications by journalistic media. Estimated earned media value was 6,5 million € and estimated of total reach: 670 million, total video views was: 12,1 million.

In accessibility we were able to create lots of new direct flight routes to VAE region and a crossborder bus/train connection The Arctic Route has made it possible to travel seamlessly around the VAE region.

We are proud to present brand new outcomes video which sum up what have been done and achieved together during VAE ll project.

Thank you for all participating companies and all involved stakeholders! And thank you for all our financiers Interregnord, Regional Council of Lapland, Region Norrbotten, Nordic Council of Ministers, Troms fylkeskommune, Finnmark fylkeskommune, Innovation Norway and Ministry of Economic affairs and Employment of Finland.

Swedish Lapland
Swedish Lapland Visitors Board
Visit Northern Norway
NordNorsk Reiseliv
Only in Lapland - The North of Finland

Rauno Posio
Nina Forsell
Maikku Raittimo
Cecilia Petzäll
John-Steve Linløkken
Trond Øverås
Petronella Modin

NordicMarketing
Flatlight Creative House
Mimir
Kreativ Industri

Visit Arctic Europe II -project Outcomes Visit Arctic Europe II -project is financed by Interreg Nord. Other financiers: Regional Council of Lapland, Region ...

30/09/2022

Stronger together - developing a unified destination in Arctic Europe 💪

The Interreg Nord project Visit Arctic Europe has worked aross borders to develop a full-year, sustainable and high-quality tourism destination 🏞

Read more https://pdf.mediahandler.se/pdf/Borderless/62/

Highlighting projects that made a real difference. In many places, in many areas and to many people 🤩

26/08/2022

We are soon coming to and end with VAE II - project. Thank you for all participants who attended VAE II Final seminar in Olos, and online!

It was great to hear inspirational speeches and sum up and share what we have achieved and learned together.

Already next week VAE partners will leave an application for VAE III. You'll hear more information about it soon!

Interregnord Interreg Aurora Swedish Lapland Visit Northern Norway Finnish Lapland

25/08/2022

VAE II Final seminar is just about to begin in Olos and online!

23/06/2022

Visit Arctic Europe was chosen one of the highlighted Interreg project's that have made a difference! 🇫🇮🇳🇴🇸🇪

Direct link for VAE page:
https://pdf.mediahandler.se/pdf/Borderless/62

Borderless

15/06/2022

Thank you for all who joined VAE II Sales Workshop in Alta this week! 🇧🇻🇫🇮🇸🇪
What a great days we had together with more than 160 participants.
It was lovely to see physical networking, great discussions and so many smiling faces after the long wait!

We dined in different restaurants around Alta and got to experience how local companies have developed during past years.
Especially we want to thank all buyers for your contribution and travelling to VAE region.
57 buyers have joined also for 6 pre- and post tours.

We wish you all wonderful and succesful summer and arctic autumn season!

Rauno Posio Nina Forsell Maikku Raittimo Cecilia Petzäll John-Steve Linløkken

Interregnord
Visit Northern Norway
Swedish Lapland
Only in Lapland - The North of Finland

30/03/2022

Sustainability is very important in all tourism, but especially here in northern Arctic parts where our environment is very fragile says Rauno Posio project leader of Visit Arctic Europe for Euronews Smart Regions.
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/03/28/beyond-tourism-creating-sustainable-holidays-in-the-arctic

Interregnord
Swedish Lapland
Visit Northern Norway
Only in Lapland - The North of Finland
NordNorsk Reiseliv
Swedish Lapland Visitors Board

Smart Regions speaks to Rauno Posio, the man behind a cross-border project encouraging sustainable tourism in Europe's far north.

29/03/2022

Wow! Visit Arctic Europe was chosen as one of The Smart Regions project. Smart Regions at Euronews Programme covers European projects with high added value for European citizens and for the planet. It's distributed in 155 countries and 7 languagues. Euronews English

Interregnord
Swedish Lapland Visitors Board
NordNorsk Reiseliv
Only in Lapland - The North of Finland
Visit Northern Norway
Swedish Lapland

https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2022/03/28/frozen-adventure-the-project-promoting-sustainable-arctic-tourism

Smart Regions heads to Europe's frozen wilderness to find out about a sustainable tourist project that aims to protect Europe's fragile Arctic ecosystem.

22/12/2021

21/12/2021

Today is winter solstice! This is the day of the year that has the shortest period of daylight and the longest period of night darkness. We also call it "solsnu" meaning the sun is turning 🌞

Top left: , Skjervøy
Top right: , Mosjøen
Down left: , Lofoten
Down right: , Finnmark

20/12/2021

Take a look at Visit Arctic Europe II -project's This is Arctic image marketing campaign called Naming Auroras.

05/12/2021

How about a pink December?!💗
The winterlight in the north; all pics beautifully captured this week from our superb Insta-followers🤩

Upper left: , Narvik
Mid left: .foleide, Alta
Down left: , Harstad
Upper right: , Ømmervannet, Helgeland
Mid right: , Bodø
Down right: , Tranøy Lighthouse, Nordland

01/12/2021

1 December, 2021 Kuukauden hanke – Visit Arctic Europe II Visit Arctic Europe II (VAE II) on Suomen ja Ruotsin Lapin sekä Pohjois-Norjan rajat ylittävä matkailuyhteistyöhanke. Interreg Pohjoinen-rahoitteinen VAE II käynnistyi vuonna 2018 ja se on jatkoa vuosina 2015-2018 toteutetulle VAE I -h...

01/12/2021

Visit Arctic Europe II is Interregnord the project of the month.

1 december, 2021 Månadens projekt – Visit Arctic Europe II Visit Arctic Europe II (VAE II) är ett gränsöverskridande samarbetsprojekt för turism mellan finska och svenska Lappland samt norra Norge. VAE II finansieras av Interreg Nord och startade år 2018 som en fortsättning på projektet VA...

24/11/2021

Finally we were able to meet! VAE II Networking meeting in Haparanda this week with interesting and important topics under the theme Post covid trends in tourism. Thank you for all the participants in Haparanda and online!




Interregnord
Swedish Lapland
Visit Northern Norway
Only in Lapland - The North of Finland

Rauno Posio Nina Forsell Maikku Raittimo Cecilia PetzällJan Badur Petronella Modin
Richard Westerberg Håkan Stenlund Katja Pettersen

12/11/2021

Visit Arctic Europe II -project and our strong cooperation between Finnish Lapland, Swedish Lapland and Northern Norway were presented today in international Spirit of Inari seminar by VAE II project leader Rauno Posio and Trond Øverås CEO of Northern Norway Tourist Board.

20/10/2021

21/08/2021

IG posting of the week: Still av bit of summer in the north 🥶👙🤪! Photo📷

Location: Rabothytta Visit Helgeland

19/07/2021

Not only is the Bay of Bothnia Sweden’s sunniestsummer getaway, it is also an exciting destination wherethe brackish sea water meets lively coastal towns.

25/06/2021

Happy Midsummer!

Photo by Sanne Brännström

09/06/2021

03/06/2021

We in Visit Arctic Europe were very proud to host E-event today: We are humans not zoomans - emerging from the pandemic as stronger and braver people by Pellegrino Riccardi. Opening words by VAE II project leader Rauno Posio.
Thank you everyone who joined our very interesting and inspiring event!

Interregnord
Swedish Lapland
Visit Northern Norway
Only in Lapland - The North of Finland

02/06/2021

Visit Arctic Europe digital fam trip number 6 was hosted together with NordicMarketing.
Excellent videos and presentations of destinations and suppliers. Again 2 days with tour operators from around the world, travelling virtually this time in Swedish and Finnish Lapland.
Wonderful landscapes and great services of the local tourism companies! 🍀💪🏻
Thank you everyone for taking part! 🙏🏻

28/05/2021

21/05/2021

🏆🏆🏆

11/05/2021

The Midnightsun is back at the North Cape!🌞🌐🌞
From today, the sun is above the horizon at the North Cape until August 1st 😎

Visit Nordkapp

Photo: Top from the left: , , . Big picture:

30/04/2021