Wellness and experience economy services from nature

Nature, including wellbeing, is one of the leading international megatrends in tourism alongside responsibility and digitalisation. The nature of Lapland offers excellent recreational and living opportunities for residents and visitors, for leisure and for multi location work, which promotes not only traditional tourism and tourism products, but also a new kind of business based on wellbeing. Wellbeing refers to, for instance, meaningful leisure time, health-promoting activities and both sustainable and high-quality nature-based experiences.

The sustainable development of nature-based wellness and experience economy services requires the promotion of smart year-round and high-quality product and service development processes, marketing and sales, in addition to the continuous development of co-operation. Growth is being sought particularly from the development, marketing and sales of services and products during the snowless season, as well as by developing local solutions for how seasons of low demand can gradually be set on a path to growth. Smart solutions in improving accessibility are essential for the development of wellness and adventure services in the region. Unused potential for the snowless season has been identified in, for instance, clean environment and the season of darkness, and the period of the midnight sun; as well as in culture and art and in the utilisation of natural products as part of experience economy services.

The purchasing decisions of consumers are influenced more strongly by the travel destination and the wellbeing generated by the products it offers as well as the responsibility and sustainability of its services. Responding to these requirements and anticipating changes in the operating environment is essential for the business of more and more companies.

Multi-purpose usage of forests is highlighted in the sustainable utilisation of nature. Through new operational modes and smart solutions, the possibility exists to harmonise the various forms of forest use and add multi-purpose functions. This way the recreational possibilities of the forests are protected, which boosts the efforts to reinforce nature-based values and the carbon sink.