Assisting enterprises and public organisations across NPA regions develop tourism flow during the dark months of the year. Dark skies are an attraction that has been utilized too little in the past in our regions. Areas with little or no light pollution have huge potential of enhancing the tourism experience.
We're thrilled to share some highlights from our recent learning journey and consortium meeting held at UiT Campus Narvik! ✨
GLOW2.0 project is supporting enterprises and public organisations in developing tourism flow during the dark autumn and winter months. Dark skies are an attraction that has been exploited too little in the past in our regions, even though areas with little or no light pollution have huge potential of enhancing the tourism experience. The project focuses on three main aspects: I. Enhancing the capacity of SMEs in delivery, marketing and promotion of tourism offers involving dark skies; including introduction to accessible immersive technologies (AR, VR) and their utilisation in tourism business II. Development of virtual planetarium, 360 photography and technological stellar viewing applications to share viewing experiences and adapt them to the needs of the regions involved in the project. The virtual planetarium development is lead by the project's Norwegian partner (The Arctic University, Narvik Campus) III. Strengthening and promoting the Dark Skies tourism concept throughout the NPA region, taking into account ways to safeguard regions' natural assets. During the project enterprises will be offered training and information packages relating to dark skies tourism concepts. These include: – astrotourism, northern lights and stargazing (Milky Way, constellations and related stories); – added value from darkness and ways to integrate it in their current tourism offers; – easy-to-use immersive technology (AR, VR) solutions, their applications and added value for tourism business; – light pollution impacts and effects on tourism and ways to reduce it.
Go to project website
Innovation
1.3 Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including by productive investments
1.798.328,64 EUR
1.134.161,07 EUR
Researcher and entrepreneur Olli Reijonen's speech and three international documentary films shed light on the importance of protecting darkness of nature/ dark skies. Thanks for the cooperation Pohjois-Karjalan elokuvayhdistys - North Karelia Film Association!
This time light pollution and lighting technology were discussed, sometimes even deviating a little to the side of philosophy. You'll have to wait a little longer for the podcast to be released 📻!
It was a pleasure for Finnish partner PLAKY (Federation of Northern Lapland municipalities (Sodankylä, Inari, Utsjoki) to participate the Finnish-Norwegian tourism event at the beginning in September, and now it was an even greater pleasure to be involved through our GLOW project. There is strength in cooperation, thanks also to colleague Trond Haukanes from Øst-Finnmarkr.
Olli Reijonen, an entrepreneur familiar with astronomical objects, viewing, and photography, has established a dark sky protection area at his old family farm. Light pollution has no impact on the area so visitors to the site can experience complete darkness, among other, also get acquainted with variations of the astronomical objects including northern lights which you wouldn’t imagine exists.
GLOW2.0 partners from Karelia University of Applied Sciences participated the Kaavi, Juuka and Tuusniemi benchmarking trip in Kainuu region that focused on the Utilization of the dark sky as part of responsible tourism development.
In the GLOW2.0 project, we want to do meaningful work and promote the activities of tourism operators in our regions. That is why we have prepared a survey with which we map the real development needs in the area.
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