Kvarken – Be my Guest
The Kvarken – be my guest project, focuses on investigating local residents' interest in and engagement with local tourism development, and their views on how destinations can be more accessible without exceeding the area's ecological carrying capacity.
Natural areas like the Kvarken Archipelago are both fragile and hard to reach, making uncontrolled tourism development problematic, especially without involving the local community. In Finland and around the globe, tourism is often driven by customers and businesses, which can overlook the role of local residents. The aim of Kvarken – Be My Guest project is to develop tourism solutions that are more accessible, sustainable, and community-based.
Project information
- The pilot area is the UNESCO World Heritage site in the Kvarken Archipelago and includes measures in the municipalities of Korsholm, Malax, Korsnäs, Vörå, and the Vaasa region.
- The project is in collaboration with the Centre for Lifelong Learning at Åbo Akademi University
- Duration of the project:01.01.2025 - 28.02.2026
- Budget: €150 300
- Project has received EU rural funding by Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment in Ostrobothnia
Project reports
"Our goal is to develop solutions that support community-driven tourism development as a counterbalance to tourist and business-driven development"
More Information
Annika Pollari, Project Leader
Tel. +358 50 564 3274
Peter Björk, PI and Professor of Marketing
Vaasa
