Tourism and Leisure Services R&D programme Funding for Innovative Tourism and Leisure Service Concepts

Programme's services for companies and public research institutions Funding for the development and research projects in-line with the goal of the programme Programme services in order to encourage participant's Networking Internationalization Development of business skills Transfer of research results into SME`s Community, where also the competitors can meet each other as partners Possibility to gain publicity for the projects’ outcome

The aim of the programme The overriding aim of the programme is to strengthen customer oriented innovation activities and business development within the tourism and leisure service sector This, in turn, will help to Create innovative, internationally competitive tourism and leisure services Improve the availability, quality and attractiveness of Finnish tourism and leisure services Improve the efficiency of service production and the reliability of the service production chain Start up new enterprises specialised on tourism and leisure services Promote networked business model in the area of tourism and leisure services

What kind of development can be funded ? New, innovative service concepts Recognition of customer needs and market potential are in the central role New concepts in service production Innovation activities tourism and leisure service concepts Whole process of service production; controlling the value chain Service production processes for a network of companies

The focus areas in developing innovative tourism and leisure service concepts Customer needs, customer behaviour and market potential Development of methods and know-how ranging from the needs of multicultural clientele Exploiting of methods for customer feedback and customer flow Technologies supporting tourism and leisure service concepts Applying and developing technologies that either support the whole service concept or are precondition for the whole concept – customer interface services, back office services, equipment, appliances Management, production and seamless coordination of tourism and leisure service processes in a networked business environment Sustainable development and environment-friendly tourism and leisure services Cooperation between corporate and private organisations International networking is an essential part of all focus areas

What is service concept ? Standardized service product or production process The individual aspect is always involved in services and they cannot standardized, but at least a part of a service or process can be standardized The service process or at least a part of it must be multipliable in other environment or for other customer Concepting improves productivity and quality of services

Who can get funding from the programme? The programme is meant for all companies and research institutions, which are participating into the systematic develelopment of tourism and leisure services Companies registered in Finland No size limits No regional limits The companies must have capability to success Tourism is the target area, but the development of any other service used ouside home can be suitable for programme funding

What kind of projects can be funded? Projects with high level of challenge The services developed must be innovative and have a novelty value on the markets The projects to be funded are selected by evaluating the business to be generated the technology, innovation and competence to be developed the resources available the cooperation to be developed and used the social and environmental well-being factors to be promoted the impact of Tekes funding and expert services Funding is for Product development Service development Business development

How to apply funding Companies can send in applications at any time. Companies can participate through their own projects or become part of joint research projects. Many programmes place special emphasis on participation by SMEs and promote cooperation with major companies and research institutes. Each programme organises targeted calls for universities and research institutes to apply to the programme.

Support for international co-operation Organisations based outside Finland can cooperate with Tekes programmes in various ways. Most research and development projects funded by programmes involve international R&D cooperation. Tekes can offer funding for the Finnish counterparts in joint projects finance researcher mobility to and from Finland facilitate the exchange of information network partners across borders Tekes has established cooperation agreements with international funding agencies all over the world to exchange information and launch joint calls for proposals or joint R&D programmes.

Project examples Operative integration of networks (EAKR) WAF-Network ASP system New Golf Game Ice Event –concept eTourismProfiler Finnish hotel of tomorrow Dynamic Travel Network Service RoomToday-sms service

Contact information Programme Manager: Senior Technology Adviser Mr. Risto Mäkikyrö Employment and Economic Development Centre for Lapland Programme coordinator and coordination team Mr. Pauli Santala, coordinator Ms. Minna Kurttila, assistant Ms. Polina Podmazova, assistant Further information: