Good community spirit attracts both tourists and talent
The tourism industry in North Savo and the attractiveness of the region have taken leaps and bounds in recent years. In Kuopio, for example, several projects have been implemented to improve the city’s amenities, and now, the operators in the industry are also working in closer cooperation. This is reflected positively in tourist numbers, and there is potential for further growth in the future.
North Savo offers tourists a number of interesting options, such as the culturally rich city of Kuopio and the Tahko tourist centre, which offers services all year round. The region gives a tough competition to Lapland, for example – North Savo has rugged landscapes and magical nature, stunning waterways, plenty of snow and winter sports, and a city full of memorable experiences for foodies and culture lovers.
“Services and experiences are always in demand. I believe that domestic tourism will continue to grow and that Eastern Finland will come out a winner. There is also a lot of potential in attracting foreign tourists. I believe we have excellent opportunities to compete with Lapland for tourists,” says Eeva Mertanen, CEO at Ravintolamestarit Oy.
More visibility for operators together
Tourism marketing in North Savo has focused particularly on increasing cooperation between operators in the industry and developing year-round services – and has managed to do both successfully.
A good example is Pohjois-Savon Matkailu Oy, a company set up by the region’s municipalities and 19 tourism companies. It coordinates cooperation between operators in the region, creates international markets and develops the industry.
“Another example is Kuopio-Tahko Marketing, a unifying brand and umbrella under which companies have found it easy to gather. The operators have become familiar with each other and the new generation clearly wants to do more together. We can now offer clients packages that did not exist before. It is also very easy to ask for help from the rest of the group,” says Juho Rissanen, CEO at Vararengasravintolat Oy.
“The idea that we are stronger together has grown. We all stand to gain from attracting tourists to the region,” says Mertanen.
Kuopio has made determined efforts to increase the attractiveness of the region, for example by improving the city’s infrastructure.
“Over the past 10 years, the Kuopio Market Square has been renovated, a pedestrian street has been built from the university all the way to the harbour and, most recently, the city has completely renovated the harbour, which is now reflected in the growing number of visitors and services. All these improvements have made the city more attractive,” says Rissanen.
Mertanen also adds that, as a result of the work done by local operators, people already know to come to Kuopio for good food.
“This gives everyone a chance to recommend each other. Visitors should get the “Kuopio experience” from every restaurant they visit and be like, what a unique place and great service!”
Strong networks are built through interaction
A network of tourism and restaurant operators has been systematically built in the region and its members organise regular activities, such as morning coffee meetings. This presence helps to build trust between operators and allows new entrepreneurs to introduce themselves.
“Our meetings and informal discussions also give us a perspective on what we are doing, whether we are doing the right thing and whether we should do things differently. We keep up with the times and can sniff out trends together through open discussion. This positive atmosphere radiates to the customers as well,” says Mertanen.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a labour shortage in the industry, but Rissanen and Mertanen have seen the industry attract experienced professionals once more. Many new professionals are educated in the region, and the versatile industry offers plenty of opportunities for specialisation, for example.
“You notice it even when you mentor students: the industry draws in enthusiastic, like-minded people. Another advantage of Kuopio and Tahko is that there are jobs available for professionals all year round. One of the best things about Kuopio as a city are the short distances: when you live in the planned area, you can easily get to all the schools and workplaces by public transport or even by bike, so everyday life is easy,” says Rissanen.
Strong community attracts talent
Businesses in the industry have also openly discussed pay – North Savo cannot compete with the salaries for seasonal work in Lapland, but the strong close-knit community is one of the employee benefits offered by the region. Mertanen hopes to hear more positive talk about the tourism and restaurant industry as a career choice.
“The bigger companies that we have offer a wide range of career paths and we take great care to ensure that our operations are sustainable. I don’t think any other industry has this kind of feeling that we are one big family. I don’t think people talk enough about how fun this job is,” says Mertanen.
The industry needs more talent, and workplaces will become increasingly international in the future, also in Kuopio.
“I see work-based immigration as a good thing – multiculturalism enriches the work community. Having talent from different cultures will be an important success factor in the future. This also allows us to offer our visitors a break from the ordinary,” says Mertanen.
The tourism and services industry is one of the four priority industries of the Talent First project. The project aims to improve the availability of talent in North Savo through appeal and retention strategies, as well as by building regional cooperation.
