Virtual Nature: Digitalisation and expert cooperation for sustainable nature tourism

Accessibility
Virtual travel products make travel experiences accessible even to those who do not travel for one reason or another. 

Sustainability 
With the help of virtual solutions, tourism, which burdens sensitive nature, could be partially transferred to a virtual form. 

Wellness 
It has been studied that virtual nature provides similar health benefits as a real nature visit! 

Pioneering
Only a small part of Finnish companies utilize the potential of virtual tourism. Now is the chance to be a pioneer and stand out from the crowd!

Nature tourism operators from Uusimaa will be central for the project. In this project the purpose of international cooperation is to produce internationally interesting virtual nature tourism modules and to increase target group knowledge. We want to learn from each other. 

The target group includes

• Companies offering nature tours
• Companies operating in natural sites or in their immediate vicinity, e.g. accommodation and activity services, places to visit, or rental of outdoor equipment
• Travel agencies
• Tourism organizations and expert organizations linked to them
• Companies and organizations integrated into nature tourism routes, circular economy and environmental education

The Digitalisation and expert cooperation as a promoter of sustainable nature tourism development project is an important part of the national ensemble of three regional projects with the same content. 

The purpose is to develop virtual nature tourism and the related experience economy with the help of new technology together with projects implemented in other provinces. The aim is to implement the project workshops partly in cooperation, so that each project allocates the benefit to the actors of the funding province. 

The purpose of the cooperation is to share and utilize the new knowledge created together.