We develop: Digitalisation of nature tourism services and trails in Satakunta region
In Satakunta region, we still face the challenge of fragmented online information on nature tourism services and trails in the region. For tourists and local residents, finding them is often challenging and time-consuming. The Nature Trails - Satakunta Nature Tourism Trails and Destinations Data Repository project aims to address this challenge by guiding tourism entrepreneurs and actors to export their tourist sites, products and services to national digital services.
In addition, the project aims to create a data repository for nature tourism attractions in Satakunta region. Attraction is understood here through a broader definition, according to which tourist attractions are those places of culture, heritage, nature, or activities that draw people to visit.
Tourism services and attractions do not exist today if they cannot be found online - to put it bluntly. Digitalisation has changed the travel business enormously. It is particularly important that attractions, products and services are accessible online, preferably through the main digital channels. In the tourism sector, the number of these channels is huge and their importance, for example in reaching potential international tourists, varies according to target groups and markets. Many tourism entrepreneurs struggle with the question of which digital channels are the right ones for their business and product.
Exporting nature tourism products to national digital services
The Nature Trails project encourages nature tourism entrepreneurs and actors in Satakunta region to take their products to national digital services, in particular to the Visit Finland DataHub database and to the Luontoon service maintained by Metsähallitus. By entering product information into Visit Finland DataHub, companies can get free visibility for their product and service in many different channels through one system. It also makes it easier to update different websites, because when the entrepreneur updates the information in the database, it is automatically updated in all the digital channels where the information is imported via the interface.
In the past, the Luontoon service, run by Metsähallitus and popular with hikers, only included sites run by the state, such as national parks. The renewed Luontoon service will also include sites maintained by external operators from the Lipas national database for local authorities and sports facility operators. The Nature Trails project will encourage local authorities, particularly in Satakunta region, to enter enriched data into Lipas database, which will then be exported to the Luontoon service. The reform will also allow smaller nature sites to be visible in national channels. It will thus help to redirect tourist numbers to these lesser-known nature tourism sites, away from congested national parks.
Data repository for nature tourism attractions in Satakunta region
Visit Finland DataHub and Lipas database, which operate via open interfaces, also form a data repository for nature tourism attractions in Satakunta region. For example, Visit Finland DataHub is the national repository for tourism services and products in Finland, and one of the first of its kind in Europe.
The Nature Trails project will propose a measure to build a webpage compiling nature tourism sites, products and services in Satakunta. Ideally, it should be easy for tourists to find nature sites in Satakunta in a single channel.
Tourists are unaware of municipal boundaries, so it is important that, in addition to the municipal tourism pages, the destinations are visible on the major national channels. Of course, municipal tourism sites are still important, as tourists who have already chosen their destination often look for information on local tourism sites.
The proposal for action to be put together in the Nature Trails project will provide the initial impetus for the further development of a digital platform for nature sites in Satakunta region. In turn, directing the province's nature tourism sites and products to national, interfaced digital services will enable them to be visible through a variety of channels, including potential new websites.
Did you know
- Renewed Luontoon service maintained by Metsähallitus will feature also non-state-run sites for hiking, canoeing, fishing and cycling.
- The Visit Finland DataHub is used to bring information on tourism products to the websites of regional tourist organizations and commercial operators, Visit Finland’s own channels and other online channels.
- In addition to local tourism websites, the Luontoon service and social media channels, nature tourists also search for information on Google search engine in particular. This is why tourism entrepreneurs should invest in Google search engine optimization and search engine marketing.