Popular Topics of Talks

• Focus: How the Nordic countries, particularly Finland, lead in social sustainability and destination stewardship. Drawing from Finland’s happiness and commitment to sustainability, with real-world examples from Oulu and Lapland.
• Key takeaway: How businesses and governments can adopt sustainable tourism practices that protect local cultures and the environment.

• Focus: The importance of nature and outdoor experiences in boosting off-season travel. Highlighting adventure tourism and sustainable practices from Lapland and Oulu.
• Key takeaway: How to create and promote year-round travel by leveraging nature and adventure tourism.

• Focus: Overcoming the challenges of seasonality in tourism, using examples from Lapland and Oulu, Finland, and their strategies to flatten the seasonality curve.
• Key takeaway: Practical steps for developing products and infrastructure that encourage year-round tourism.

• Focus: How social inclusion strengthens communities and tourism destinations. Examples of inclusive practices from Finnish destinations.
• Key takeaway: How businesses and destinations can integrate social inclusion to enhance visitor experiences and community well-being.

• Focus: How to integrate sustainability into destination marketing strategies for the future, inspired by the Finnish model of tourism stewardship.
• Key takeaway: Strategies for positioning destinations as responsible, sustainable, and attractive to global tourists.

• Focus: Finland’s metaphorical island status and the critical role of international airline routes in supporting tourism in Finland, with a focus on Oulu’s growing connectivity.
• Key takeaway: How destinations can partner with airlines to improve accessibility and attract international visitors.

• Focus: Exploring the intersection of happiness, well-being, and tourism, with Finland’s happiness ranking as a backdrop.
• Key takeaway: How destinations can use well-being tourism to attract visitors seeking happiness and life satisfaction.

• Focus: Leadership lessons in managing change in tourism, from navigating the COVID-19 crisis to addressing environmental concerns.
• Key takeaway: Inspirational insights on leading a destination through times of uncertainty and change.

• Focus: How to manage destinations responsibly in response to climate change, drawing on examples from Finnish sustainability efforts.
• Key takeaway: Practical guidance for destinations looking to balance economic growth with environmental responsibility.

• Focus: Empowering local communities to take ownership of tourism development, with examples from Oulu’s community engagement initiatives.
• Key takeaway: How government officials and businesses can create tourism models that prioritize local voices and long-term sustainability.

• Focus: The challenges of seasonality in tourism and actionable strategies to promote consistent visitor flows throughout the year. This keynote explores methods such as developing diverse tourism products, expanding off-peak activities, and collaborating with airlines and local businesses.

• Key takeaway: Practical steps destinations can take to spread out tourism demand, using examples from different destinations in building a year-round tourism economy.
• Sample keynote proposal

• Focus: Exploring the less-known but extraordinary destinations in Northern Finland. This keynote highlights areas that are often overlooked but offer rich cultural, nature-based, and adventure tourism opportunities.
• Key takeaway: How destinations can leverage their “hidden gems” to create unique tourism experiences and promote sustainable, off-the-beaten-path travel, boosting regional economies year around.

Facilitated Workshops

• Focus: Building a long-term strategic plan for destination marketing while balancing environmental, social, and economic sustainability.
• Introducing the Problem: Lack of alignment between short-term marketing efforts and long-term sustainability goals.
• Case Studies: Successful strategies from Oulu, Lapland, and other international destinations.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Incorporating sustainability goals into every stage of planning.
• AI/Tech: Using AI for data-driven forecasting and predictive modeling in strategic planning.
• Leading the Change: Leading organizational shifts towards sustainable long-term vision.

• Focus: Developing flexible destination strategies that can adapt to market fluctuations and sustainability demands.
• Introducing the Problem: Seasonal dependencies and external factors (e.g., economic downturns, pandemics).
• Case Studies: Finnish tourism strategies, how they have adapted to changes and emerging markets.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Creating agile, year-round strategies that rely less on seasonality.
• AI/Tech: Using AI to forecast tourism trends and consumer behavior shifts.
• Leading the Change: Encouraging adaptability and innovation within destination organizations.

• Focus: How leaders can drive sustainability initiatives in tourism organizations.
• Introducing the Problem: Resistance to change in organizational structures.
• Case Studies: Leadership-driven changes in Finnish tourism and from Destinations International.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Leadership’s role in embedding sustainability into company culture.
• AI/Tech: Using AI for decision-making tools and to assess employee and stakeholder sentiment around changes.
• Leading the Change: Strategies for leaders to champion sustainability across the organization.

• Focus: How to create a tourism economy that prioritizes environmental sustainability without compromising economic growth.
• Introducing the Problem: Balancing tourism growth with environmental preservation.
• Case Studies: Examples of environmental sustainability initiatives.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Creating tourism products that align with environmental goals.
• AI/Tech: Utilizing AI for eco-monitoring and reducing tourism’s environmental footprint.
• Leading the Change: Implementing policies and leadership techniques to sustain eco-conscious operations.

• Focus: Using storytelling to connect emotionally with travelers while embedding sustainability messages.
• Introducing the Problem: Difficulty in engaging tourists with sustainability-focused narratives.
• Case Studies: Successful storytelling campaigns from Finnish tourism and beyond.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: How to weave sustainability into the core of a destination’s brand.
• AI/Tech: AI-driven insights on what storytelling elements resonate with target audiences.
• Leading the Change: Leadership strategies for driving marketing teams to adopt sustainable storytelling approaches.

• Focus: Involving local communities in tourism planning to promote social sustainability and inclusivity.
• Introducing the Problem: Local communities feeling disconnected or burdened by tourism growth.
• Case Studies: Community-led tourism initiatives in Oulu Finland and global destinations.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: How to co-create tourism experiences with local communities.
• AI/Tech: Using AI to gather insights on community needs and feedback.
• Leading the Change: Encouraging local leadership in tourism planning and management.

• Focus: Strategies for flattening the seasonality curve and promoting year-round tourism.
• Introducing the Problem: Destinations overly reliant on peak seasons for revenue.
• Case Studies: How Lapland and Madeira aim to increase off-season tourism.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Product diversification and creative marketing campaigns.
• AI/Tech: Leveraging AI for data-driven promotional strategies that target off-season travelers.
• Leading the Change: Organizational leadership needed to foster product development for year-round appeal.

• Focus: Modernizing destination marketing through digital tools and AI.
• Introducing the Problem: Traditional marketing models no longer meeting the needs of digital-first travelers.
• Case Studies: Destinations using AI for marketing, from Oulu to global destinations.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Integrating AI to create personalized marketing strategies.
• AI/Tech: AI-driven customer segmentation and predictive analytics for campaign optimization.
• Leading the Change: Building a tech-driven marketing culture within destination organizations.

• Focus: How AI is revolutionizing destination management and operational efficiency.
• Introducing the Problem: The need for more accurate, real-time data to manage visitor flows and resources.
• Case Studies: Finnish and international examples of AI in destination management.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Using data insights to optimize operations and resource management.
• AI/Tech: Tools for analyzing visitor data, managing visitor flows, and adjusting infrastructure needs.
• Leading the Change: Creating data-driven leadership strategies to ensure sustainability in tourism management.

• Focus: The importance of strategic partnerships with airlines to boost sustainable tourism.
• Introducing the Problem: Destinations struggling with accessibility and international visibility.
• Case Studies: How destinations like Rovaniemi Finland have grown through airline partnerships.
• Finding the Sustainable Solution: Collaborative approaches with airlines to reduce environmental impacts while promoting travel.
• AI/Tech: AI for optimizing flight routes, dynamic pricing models, and predictive analytics in air travel.
• Leading the Change: Working with government and airlines to build lasting, sustainable tourism networks.

Specs for Keynotes

Specs for Workshops