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On 1-2 October, the Baltic Sea Tourist Forum 2025 brought together top tourism experts and regional representatives from across Europe in Gdańsk. The main themes of the two-day forum were regenerative tourism and data-driven tourism development, which emerged at the centre of the discussions in response to climate objectives and the pressures for change in the sector. On the first day, it was considered whether regenerative tourism is just a fashion word or a genuinely new way to build tourism that improves the environment and communities. International speakers such as Anna Pollock (Conscious.Travel) and Jeremy Smith (Tourism Declares) highlighted the importance of tourism as a driver of climate neutrality and the power of storytelling as a driver of change. In her speech, Tiina Rajala, Development Director of the Regional Assembly of Northern Ostrobothnia, thanked the partners of Northern Ostrobothnia and highlighted the importance of the Forum's themes for the entire tourism industry in the future. The message of today's speakers was,…

The AKKE application period opens on 1 October 2025 and ends on 26 October 2025. AKKE - funding is being applied for, especially for boosting the region's competitiveness and for business cooperation projects. More here

Are you interested in advocacy and international assignments? Now we are looking for a specialist in Brussels for the EU Office for Eastern and Northern Finland, which also monitors the interests of Northern Ostrobothnia in Europe. The deadline for applications is 6.10.2025 at 13.59 (Finnish time). More information about the position and the application form. EU Office for Eastern and Northern Finland

The Advisory Board for Climate Work in Northern Ostrobothnia has acted as a working group set up by the the Board of the Regional Assembly for two periods (2019-2021 and 2022-2025). During its first term of office, the Advisory Board steered the drawing up of the Climate Roadmap and during the second term the updating of the Climate Roadmap. The road map has compiled the county's climate targets and measures, and the information generated in the network has been utilised, for example, in advocacy, in the preparation of EU programmes and in cooperation in cooperation with various stakeholders. The Advisory Board has been an important forum in the development of the region's climate work and as a channel for information exchange and networking. During the meetings, experts have been consulted and close cooperation has been established in cooperation with the Canemure project of Oulu University of Applied Sciences. Now the look is coming. The Advisory Board has carried out a self-assessment and the feedback will be taken into account in the work of the new working group. The new the Board of the Regional Assembly will set up working groups for 2026-2029. 🔹 Financial overview Autumn 2025…

Finland is practically an island: Our security of supply and the functionality of our society rely on sea transport. But what happens if our maritime connections are compromised? How do we prepare for an unstable future in the Baltic Sea? These questions are addressed in the recently published report, Maritime Spatial Planning: Security of supply for maritime industries and the overall safety of the maritime area. The report, carried out by Capful and commissioned by the Finnish Maritime Spatial Planning Coordination Group, discusses the critical role of Finnish maritime spatial planning in supporting security of supply and overall safety. The report provides a snapshot of security in the Baltic Sea, creates three alternative scenarios for the future in an uncertain global political situation and presents a vision of how we can jointly strengthen overall security in Finland's maritime areas. In the first scenario, ‘in the vortex of the great power struggle’, the power struggle of the great powers is causing increasing geopolitical instability in the Baltic Sea region and security risks are increasing. The second scenario “In the Eye of the Storm” opens the perspective of a situation in which military action in the Baltic Sea …

At the start of the plenary debate, the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, said: "In times of uncertainty, we need clarity and the will to lead Europe. We need a Europe that takes responsibility for its own security, facilitates business and protects jobs. A Europe that is fairer and defends our democratic values. Too often it seems that the whole world is on fire when Russia invades Ukraine and the situation in Gaza is appalling. Then the European Parliament's position is that Europe needs to respond in cooperation with new and bold ideas.” Ursula von de Leyen: We need our freedom, independence and democracy "This must be the moment of European independence", said Ursula von der Leyen in her speech. Europe must be able to take care of its own security and defence, manage its economy-boosting …

Registration is now open, welcome! The region's most significant seminar on tourism brings together tourism companies, developers and decision-makers to discuss current themes and future opportunities in the sector. Come and hear how the demand for tourism, rising trends and Oulu's Capital of Culture year can boost tourism in the region! Northern Ostrobothnia Tourism Forum 2025 - BusinessOulu

The Regional Assembly of Oulu Region requests proposals for the organisation work of Northern Ostrobothnia in 2025. Proposals can be submitted between 1 and 26 September 2024. This year's theme is Youth, Future and Hope. An organizational act does not have to be an isolated act; it can be understood and interpreted more broadly. In the selection of the organizational act of the year, the emphasis is on the crossing of borders and impact, as well as the role of volunteering in the Regional Assembly's operations. The applicant must be a registered local Regional Assembly. The Regional Assembly that won the organizational act of the year will receive 1,000 euros to support its activities. The decision on the organisation of the year is made by the Regional Board of Northern Ostrobothnia. Proposals for the organisation work of the year will be submitted by 26.9.2025 at 15.00 using an electronic form: LINK The Organisational Act of the Year 2025 will be announced at the Regional Parliament of Northern Ostrobothnia on 4 November 2025. The prize is now awarded for the seventh time. Additional information: Ilpo Tapaninen, Development Manager, Regional Assembly of Oulu Region, tel. +358 50 301…

Does your company or organisation have an innovative technology solution that could meet the current challenges of rural areas? The first open pilot call of the SMART ERA project offers a unique opportunity to get involved in the development of new solutions. In Northern Ostrobothnia, two pilots will be carried out, as described in the Applicant's Guide: Smart Economy Service Platform – AI-Assisted Conceptualization of Rural Businesses Based on Deep Local Knowledge – AI-Assisted Rural Business Development Service Selected implementers will be offered up to €60,000 per challenge and access to a nine-month support programme in cooperation with expertise, networks and international visibility. The SMART ERA project will implement a total of 11 technology pilots to address the innovation needs of rural areas. The project serve ass in six European pilot areas, one of which is Northern Ostrobothnia.…

In 2023, the decline of clusters is slowly receding and some sectors are also showing a recovery. For example, the wood and furniture industry has been the most positive in the business cycle data up to the end of May. The cluster's net sales and number of employees have been growing since the end of 2024. However, the figures for 2021 are still around 10% lower. The wood and furniture cluster also has a clear connection to construction, the downturn of which seems to have come to a halt. In uncertain times, the moderate growth of tourism will continue and it is expected that growth will not stop due to significant investments in tourism centres and Oulu. If some of Lapland's tourist flows turn to Northern Ostrobothnia, the growth may be even faster. The turnover of ICT and metal clusters has been very lively in the early part of the year, but…