Ari Ålander, 45, has been appointed as Central Finlands new marketing manager. Ålander moves to the new post from his position as Managing Director of Rukapalvelu Oy, a company in north-eastern Finland offering full-service incentive travel. He possesses long experience in the development of tourism in the Kuusamo area. Ålander will take up his new position at the beginning of August.
A tourism marketing manager is not simply intended for image marketing of Central Finland, indeed his task is to build sales networks and channels. He will also serve as an additional resource for those already working in this area.
In practice the marketing chief will become the face of Central Finland tourism in the international market place.
For the period to 2013 tourism in Central Finland has been set the target of boosting regional income from tourism by five per cent each year and the turnover of firms in the branch by six per cent annually.
Efforts are being made to increase the length of time foreign visitors spend in Central Finland by an average of 20 000 nights across the region.
The aim is to develop 35 internationally known leisure service clusters in Central Finland.
By Tommi Salo Photo by Petteri Kivimäki