Light in the Dark: A Little Story About Big Ideas

When people talk about sustainable tourism, it’s easy to think big. International certifications, global goals, flight shame, and carbon footprint. But for me, it starts somewhere entirely different. In an office in Turku, with a cup of coffee (sometimes brewed from a machine, sometimes brewed over an open fire), an open document, and a network of engaged people around the Baltic Sea.

Since June, I’ve been leading Light in the Dark, a cross-border project involving partners from across the Baltic Sea Region. Our mission? To co-create nature-based tourism experiences that work in the darker months. But more than that, we want these experiences to actually matter. Helping small businesses thrive, bringing communities closer together, and turning the off-season into a time people actually look forward to exploring.

And honestly? It’s been a bit magical.

Not in the fairy-tale sense, there are plenty of emails, reports, and Teams calls involved. But in the way that small things start to add up. Like when a pilot sparks a new idea you didn’t see coming. Or when somewhere along the way, realizing that just because it’s the off-season doesn’t mean it’s off-potential.

There’s so much possibility in the quieter months, space to try new things, to slow down, to connect more deeply with nature and with each other. That’s where the real magic happens.

We’re just wrapping up our piloting phase now and getting ready for the next chapter, transferring what we’ve built into real-world use. That means working closely with SMEs, DMOs, and BSOs to make sure the tools, ideas, and experiences we’ve developed don’t just sit in a folder somewhere. They need to live. To be used. To evolve.

For me, regenerative tourism isn’t just about doing less harm. It’s about doing more good. It’s about leaving something behind that’s a little stronger, a little more connected, a little more hopeful than before. That might be a new way of working together. A stronger sense of place. Or just a really good idea that catches on.

We’re not done yet. But we’re getting closer. And I’m excited to keep sharing what we learn along the way.

Visit our project page to dive into the ideas, pilots, and people behind Light in the Dark:
https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/light-in-the-dark/

Janina Selin
Project Manager

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