Innovative Mountain Tourism A Norwegian cluster child

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Innovative Mountain TourismA Norwegian cluster
child Bornholm, September 2, 2009
Kjell-Gunnar Dahle
Innovativ Fjellturisme et prosjekt i
Arena-programmet, 2004-2008
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Background..

• For the last 15 to 20 years, the 7 destinations
  have made substantial investments in order to
  adapt their natural resources to winter tourism .
  
• The summer season has not been prioritized -
  resulting in weak tourism products with
  low-budget prices, short periods of stay and a
  minimum access to capital for investments.
• Why cluster?
• They faced common challenges in order to
  become more innovative and attractive for foreign
  visitors.

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The summer product is designed for Norwegian
guests
X
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We export raw materials
X
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The first Norwegian ARENA-cluster in the service
industry and in traveltourisme/experience economy
ReiselivsArena Finnmark
Innovative opplevelser
Konvekst
Innovativ Fjellturisme 1 2003
Innovativ fjordturisme
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The Norwegian Mountain Tourism Cluster
- 7 destinations with app. 250 members
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Public authorities Kommunene, fylkeskommunene Inno
vasjon Norge Direktoratet for naturforvaltning Nær
ings- og handlesdep. Landbruksdep. Miljøverndep.
The Triple Helix Mountain cluster

Knowledge institutions HiBu v/Senter for
reiseliv Telemarksforsking-Bø Nasjonal og
internasjonale miljøer
Cluster Companies The core business Travel, Stay,
Sleep, Eat, activity, experience, cultur etc.
when travelling in the region
Partners Nasjonale Internasjonal klynge/ bedrift
Transport NSB Color Line Oslo Lufthavn/OSL Bussels
kaper

Suppliers Tjeneste- og innholds leverandører
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Project Vision 2004-2009
The ARENA project periode32 5 years
Develop mountain tourism into a profitable, all
year round industry with highly attractive
tourism products that target selected
international tourism markets.
Project Strategy
Area 1 Networks and knowledge Area 2
Entrepreneurship and product development Area 3
Conceptualizing and sales Area 4 External
conditions that obstruct innovations
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Entrepreneurship and product development

• Pilot projects

Via Ferrata in Hemsedal Norways first
commercial Climbing product
Nordic Walking in Vrådal Norways first nordic
walking park
Mountain biking at Geilo all segments
In the footsteps of the saboteurs at Rjukan -
Telemark Opplevelser wants to produce an
experience for the individual foreign market
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Conceptualizing and sales
Dynamic packaging - Color Line and 41 enterprises
reaching new segments with new distribution and
product innovations
Round trip generator new online booking concept
from Hallingbooking
Intelligent treasure hunting new market concept
in Denmark combining bluetooth technology with
tourism information and marketing attracting
families in summer time to Telemark
Hemsedal lojality card
Rauland online booking technology and product
innovations
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NETWORK AND COMPETANCE ACTIVITIES

• Market research
• Denmark, Germany, Netherlands why Norway?
  What could make you choose Norway?
• Study tours
• 300 participants to Austria, Switzerland,
  Italy, Sweden, Poland, Scotland, Canada, New
  Zealand, USA
• Conferences
• yearly more than 200 participants since 2003

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• The philosophy of
• Innovative Mountain Tourism cluster
• If you want to travel fast,
• travel alone.
• If you want to travel far,
• travel together.

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The main goals where changed after the first 3
years....................

• Main goal 2004-2006
• Increase international guest nights at the 7
  destinations by 100 within 2008 (spring summer
  autumn)
• Increase the margin in the involved SMEs by 2
• Main goal 2007-2009
• To establish a lasting cluster of mountain
  tourism with stakeholders focusing on innovation
  and internationally-oriented summer tourism.
• Increase employment and create more
  financially-sound tourism enterprises through
  focus on innovation, development and cooperation
  between the tourism industry, research
  institutions and governmental organisations.

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Strategic choices
IFT Ltd. established Jan 2008
Year 52008-sept 09 (Last project
year Arena)
Arena project from 2004 to -
PA IFT Ltd.
From 2009 ?
2009, Jan-Sept
2008
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The new organisation
Hov
Rau
Rju
Hem
Geilo
Gol
Innovativ Fjellturisme AS
Vrå
Board (7 repr.)
Ownership model?

• Create income
• Provide services?
• Development project?
• Strengthen network?

Project A Ex. NCE application
Project B Ex. EU project
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STOP SIGN FOR NCE
In November 2008 after 3 months process the
companies fra Geilo decides not to support the
NCE initiative. The chairman of the steering
committee said This is not a desirable
situation from the clusters viewpoint, but we
have been aware of the fact that if there is not
a sufficient support from the companies in the
cluster, we will not proceed with the
application. We hope however, that we can use the
knowledge from our work with the NCE application
in the future strategy work of the Innovative
Mountain Tourism Cluster.

• Input to the future strategy?
• Developing more professional companies
• Nationalpark as a strong brand and resource base
• Marketing for the future (Web 2.0)
• Innovation new products, consepts and working
  processes

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The destinations takes over the leadership after
4 years

• Nov 2007
• the first board members signing initial agreement
  at Geilo
• Jan 2008
• 7 different destinations as equal owners in IFT
  Ltd
• March 2008 - April 2009
• Working with the company strategy and action
  plans
• The Project and the Ldt has an overlapping
  periode
• NCE initiative fails in Nov 2008
• Strategy work speeds up winter 2009
• Sept 2009
• Project periode ends
• IFT Ltd in charge of the clusters future

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WHAT WE HAVE CREATED

• Common understanding of challenges and
  possibilities
• Safety across the municipality boarders
• Environment for developing in cooperation with,
  and with both accept and respect for RD people
• Network of municipality/county planners/advisers
  who very often faces similar challenges

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WHAT LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED

• We need continuing market knowledge, and
  knowledge about how to deal with it
• We have to combine marketing activities from
  different industries tourism, agriculture,
  fishing, oil to be strong
• Our nature are as good as anywhere, our
  commercializing are probably worse than anywhere
  - especially in our National Parks
• We need strong destination companies and a
  dedicated cooperation between the tourism
  industry and public authorities.
• A 5 year old cluster is still a child

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DECIDED STATEGIES..

• Continue to work with the etablished network
  activities and competance activities
• (study tours, courses, network of counties,
  yearly innovation conference)
• Coordinate RD needs with other regional and
  national programs and partners
• (voice the needs of the industy and initiate RD
  programs)
• Develop thematic focused clusters
• (outdoor activities, national park tourism, web
  2.0, event tourisme)
• Continue building networks
• (network map, resource group, cooperating
  with other tourism clusters)
• Establish a marketing construction to gain
  increased focus on Mountain Tourism in Norwegian
  Summer marketing campaigns

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More information to be found

• www.fjellturisme.no
• http//www.govertsenfilm.no/indexfjellturismeok.ht
  ml