Helsinki Smart Experiences project focuses on creating new and exciting tourism services that benefit both local residents and tourists. The project brings together tourism companies and AI startups.
Tourism has a significant impact on services and the streetscape in Helsinki city center, particularly shops, restaurants, and experience services. Changes in consumer behavior and a decline in tourist numbers are creating challenges for the tourism industry. On the one hand, Helsinki has been developed for tourists, but services should also be developed for local residents, as this also attracts tourists and increases the utilization rate of services.
Artificial intelligence promotes the ability of companies to innovate, but it is difficult for technically oriented AI startups to access the customer interface to test their products and services. Together, tourism companies and AI startups can develop innovative service solutions to revitalize the city center and urban culture.
The main objective of the project is to develop the vitality and attractiveness of Helsinki city center. The project promotes the strategic objectives of the region to make Helsinki city center the most attractive tourist destination in Europe and Uusimaa the most innovative province.
The project will result in unique, high-quality, year-round tourism services in line with the City of Helsinki's strategy.
The project's activities and development work will create an innovation and development platform that will continue to enable networked cooperation between tourism companies and AI startups.
The project describes new customer segments in the city center through buyer personas and buyer journeys. Innovation workshops will generate new experiential and smart tourism concept ideas that will revitalize and attract visitors to downtown Helsinki.
The development model will be described and can be utilized in the future to revitalize city centers.
Duration: 9/2024–3/2027
Project manager: Tuija Toivola
Funding: ERDF
