11 Coastal and Rural Areas Join Forces – New National Tourism Project Receives Rural Development Funding
A significant step forward is being taken in the development of Finland’s coastal and rural regions as the nationwide Coastal and Rural Gems joint project has been awarded funding from the EU Rural Development Fund. The project is one of six national development initiatives selected for funding in 2026.
Photo: Sami Saastamoinen / Visit Pori
The national call for projects was highly competitive. Out of 52 project ideas submitted, 10 advanced to the further preparation stage, and six were ultimately selected for funding. Coastal and Rural Gems is one of these successful projects.
– I am truly delighted and proud that we have secured this funding. The project brings together an exceptionally broad group of stakeholders from coastal and rural areas to collaborate. Through this initiative, we can build a tourism offering that is stronger and more attractive than any individual destination alone, including for international markets, says Tiina Backman from Yrityssalo.
The project is part of Visit Finland’s tourism region known as Coast & Archipelago, one of Finland’s four main tourism areas alongside Lapland, Lakeland, and the Helsinki Region.
The initiative brings together 11 municipalities and development organizations connected to Finland’s coastal and archipelago areas. The collaboration spans a vast geographical area along Finland’s coastline, from the Bothnian Bay to the Gulf of Finland.
This is an exceptionally extensive cooperation project. A joint tourism development initiative involving this many coastal and archipelago municipalities has not previously been implemented in Finland on a similar scale. The project area covers seven regions across six vitality centre areas.
Photo: Organizations participating in the Coastal and Rural Gems project.
Aiming for a New Level of Cooperation in Finnish Tourism
The goal of the Coastal and Rural Gems project is to strengthen the competitiveness of tourism businesses in coastal and rural areas by developing new tourism products and service packages that connect multiple destinations and regions.
The project aims to increase awareness of the participating areas, attract more visitors, and encourage longer stays.
– Many travellers and international tour operators are looking for ready-made routes and comprehensive experiences rather than individual attractions or products. This project will create exactly these kinds of multi-destination experiences, making travel decisions easier for visitors and generating added value for the entire coastal region, says Tiina Lehtonen, Brand and Partnership Manager at the City of Pori.
The project brings together tourism businesses, municipalities, and development organizations to create a new model of cross-regional cooperation.
Key project activities include:
- Developing new tourism products and touring routes
- Strengthening cooperation and networking between businesses and regions
- Organizing service design workshops
- Implementing digital and AI-based solutions
- Benchmarking and international learning
– From Pori’s perspective, the project enables stronger collaboration with other coastal regions and helps showcase local strengths to broader markets, says Lehtonen.
The project will be implemented between 1 September 2026 and 30 June 2028. More information about the project is available on the websites of the lead partner Yrityssalo and the City of Pori.
Photo: Coastal and Rural Gems project logo.
Photo: Mikko Virtaperko. Project partners in a group photo during the kickoff meeting in September 2026.