TOWARDS RECOVERY THROUGH SUSTAINABLE TOURISM by Sari Myllynen | sari.myllynen@porvoo.fi
“Whether I chose Porvoo or it chose me, it doesn’t really matter. I’m living my dream since I see myself in the old alleys of this city. I fall in love with the riverside and the restaurants and small shops of the city that I can explore like a tourist or where I can meet my friends time after time. Porvoo either chose me or I chose it because we share the same values, and the city gives me space to realise those values in my own way.” The text above is a quote from the ‘Porvoo – City of Dreams 2030’ strategy. It puts the thoughts of many Porvoo residents about their hometown into words. Among us Porvoo residents, 95 % would recommend Porvoo as a place to live. Porvoo also appeals to both Finnish and international tourists, hundreds of thousands of whom visit Porvoo each year. As tourism has increased, Porvoo has gained more services, jobs and urban life. The increasing number of visitors has also brought on discussions on how to build a sustainable future for both residents and visitors. Our goal is that our climate work will create well-being, an urban environment that promotes health, and appealing services for residents and visitors. Covid 19 – survival instead of development One of the cornerstones of a lively city are flourishing companies. The complete halt in both tourism and local consumption due to the coronavirus pandemic in the spring put our entrepreneurs in a position where survival became the primary goal instead of development. We could take nothing for granted, and no one could predict when visitors will return to our city. Everything went quiet, we didn’t see each other on the street, and we couldn’t enjoy the company of our friends in the lovely restaurants and cafés of the city, browse the idyllic shops, or see the delightful flow of visitors in Old Porvoo. Support your local and sustainable tourism We also emphasised community spirit, as well as the importance of being local and using local services when we launched the Porvoo Lokal movement. The running theme is that now is the time to be proud and act – use the resources 20
“We value all things good and beautiful and are creating a sustainable tomorrow together. We are excited to be in the middle of urban bustle. We enjoy the laughter of children, delicious flavours, and meeting different people. We find peace in nature, hiking in a forest in autumn colours. We let the islands of the archipelago tell us their stories and the villages to invite us in.” of your own area. We encouraged residents to make smart choices and local investments. As the spring went on and restrictions were lifted, we started multi-channel tourism marketing in Finland. We highlighted the products and services of local companies and encouraged visitors to stay for more than a few hours and take their time to enjoy the wonderful restaurants, cafés, shops, sights and nature destinations of Porvoo. We also focused on developing companies’ digital skills and started the DigiStar project with the cities of Raasepori, Lohja, Hanko and Helsinki. The project provides companies in the tourism sector with methods of reviving their business even during the corona virus crisis. In addition to rapid actions focused on recovery, we will also continue to develop tourism on sustainable terms. We will progress step by step towards a time when we can once again welcome international visitors in Porvoo. We are looking forward to seeing you, and we wish to offer you sustainable and responsible tourism services that everyone can experience safely.
