Interreg Aurora has awarded funding to the Bothnian Coastal Tourism project – a new three-year initiative that aims to strengthen tourism and the visitor industry along the coast of the Bothnian Bay. The project builds on the experiences from Bothnian Coastal Route, which was carried out in 2023–2025 with the goal of increasing awareness of the northern Finnish and Swedish coast as an attractive travel route for both visitors and the local population.
The Bothnian Coastal Tourism project takes the next step in developing tourism along the coast. Three new project partners are welcomed into the project: Höga Kusten Destinationsutveckling, Destination Sundsvall, and Business Kristinestad. Together, they strengthen the joint offering and create new opportunities to develop a larger geographical entity along the coast of the Bothnian Bay.
– This is a long-awaited announcement and another step towards strengthening the Bottenvik coast as an internationally interesting and sustainable destination. By building on the work already done within the Bothnian Coastal Route, we can now move from creating awareness and networks to developing even clearer reasons to visit and stories that reach the traveller, says Gabriella Hed Vall, CEO of Visit Umeå.
– This is an important investment in our work with international tourism. By having more people collaborating, we can pool resources, create a stronger offering, and have better conditions to reach international visitors, says Hanna Sondell, Marketing and Communications Manager at Visit Umeå.
Over the next three years, the project will focus on new target audiences through a clearer B2C perspective. Storytelling will be an important method for connecting visitors with genuine, local experiences and highlighting the people, places, and stories along the coast.
The project will also continue to strengthen cooperation between municipalities, destination organisations and businesses. The aim is to develop new working methods, create joint offers and contribute to a long-term sustainable and more attractive tourism industry in the region.
Bothnian Coastal Tourism runs for three years and is financed through Interreg Aurora.
