Project partner: Satakunta University of Applied Sciences and Center for Tourism Business Development

About us

The Center for Tourism Business Development operates at the Satakunta University of Applied Sciences. The Center’s activities are based on the actual needs of the tourism enterprises in the region – making them also the main target group of the Center. In addition, we work in close cooperation with regional, national and international partners.

Meet the Team

Juhana Aalto – Project Manager

Juhana has a history of more than ten years of tourism-development projects behind him, from sustainable tourism and attracting investors to bicycle tourism and route development in Satakunta region. Combining theme in his previous projects has been the branding aspect in the tourism industry, including social brands and local inclusion. He also brings local knowledge of the Satakunta-region as well as active networks in rural Satakunta and surrounding areas.

Our focus area: Pori region

In Finland, TourRBaltic focuses on the Pori region in Satakunta. Pori is located on Finland’s west coast and offers a diverse tourism destination combining urban culture, nature, and seaside experiences. Pori is known for its lively cultural scene, events, and historic center, while the wider area also reflects a long industrial history, particularly through the historic Noormarkku, which provides an interesting glimpse into Finland’s industrial and architectural heritage. Just outside the city, Yyteri is one of Finland’s best-known coastal destinations, famous for its long sandy beach, dunes, and beautiful natural surroundings. The area provides excellent opportunities for swimming, walking, cycling, birdwatching, and other outdoor activities. Together, Pori and Yyteri provide a versatile destination where visitors can combine a city break with a memorable experience in Finland’s coastal nature.

Outside the city of Pori, Satakunta region however faces the familiar challenges in rural tourism: logistics, small operators and seasonality. All these affect the sustainability of the tourism industry in the region. TourRBaltic tackles these issues by focusing on already recognized tourist routes and points of interest, that can be developed further to create appealing experiences for different types of visitors. The aim is to attract visitors to use sustainable means to explore the destination and take into account the varying mobility needs of future visitors. The project will also engage with the local stakeholders to ponder future visions about the destination – and how to achieve the desired future.

TourRBaltic will especially focus on established bicycle network from Luvia through Pori and Yyteri to Ahlainen we will follow Eurovelo 10 -route. From Ahlainen to Noormarkku we will take the Selkämeren elämysreitti. These routes are well established and locally well-known products that combine rural tourism hubs to Pori, which is an important local hub with great variety of services and is quite easily accessible by public transport.

How SAMK contributes to TourRBaltic

Satakunta University of Applied Sciences offers regional expertise in Satakunta, the focus area in Finland. Our Center for Tourism Business Development has long-standing experience in active tourism and SME engagement also in rural areas. Furthermore, we have had various projects in the past where promoting active and accessible mobility to locals and visitors has been central. We also have versatile experience on sustainability communication and producing route information.

Programme Manual Online

Choose