Novia leads the development of regenerative and year‑round tourism in the archipelago

Yrkeshögskolan Novia is taking a leading role in the transition toward more sustainable and year‑round tourism in the Finnish archipelago.

“Tourism needs to become part of the solution for the archipelago, not a problem. Without vibrant nature and functioning local communities, there can be no long‑term attractive destination,” says James Simpson, Project Manager and RDI Team Leader for regenerative tourism at Novia.

Regenerative tourism as a new standard in the Baltic Sea region

Novia leads the international project RegenT – Integrating Regenerative Practices in Nature and Cultural Tourism, which brings together results from seven European collaborations in regenerative tourism. The goal is to establish regenerative approaches as a guiding strategy throughout the Baltic Sea region.

Regenerative tourism goes beyond traditional sustainability by actively strengthening nature, culture, and local communities. Within the project, a shared knowledge platform is being developed for public actors, businesses, and civil society, with a focus on climate resilience, cross‑sector collaboration, and local value chains.

New opportunities during the low season – Light in the Dark

In parallel, Novia runs the Light in the Dark project, which develops nature‑based and place‑specific experiences for autumn, winter, and spring in coastal and archipelago areas. The project strengthens small and medium‑sized tourism companies through service design, international cooperation, and joint marketing.

Companies have created new experiences based on darkness, light, stillness, and everyday local life. The results include increased resilience, more even employment opportunities throughout the year, and reduced pressure on nature and infrastructure during peak season. The project also offers an AI tool for service development.

Sara Söderlund, who runs Naawa Nature in Korpo, highlights the value of meeting other entrepreneurs in the region and gaining new perspectives on her business.

 Research and practice in collaboration

Novia’s tourism projects are built on close cooperation between research, industry, and local communities. The projects are tested in practice together with companies, municipalities, and associations in the archipelago and along the coast.

“Tourism should benefit the local community and businesses and serve as part of the solution for the region,” says Liisa Kokkarinen, Head of Sustainable Tourism at Visit Finland.

Through initiatives such as RegenT and Light in the Dark, Yrkeshögskolan Novia contributes to shaping the tourism of the future – economically viable, socially rooted, and ecologically regenerative.

A recent article from Svenska Yle highlights Novia’s work as central to meeting increasing tourism without putting pressure on nature, culture, and local communities. Read the article here.

 For more information, please contact:

• Yrkeshögskolan Novia Project Manager James Simpson james.simpson@novia.fi +358 50 466 1230