Project Overview

There are three main aspects that we will work on:  

1. Enhancing the capacity of SMEs in delivery, marketing and promotion of tourism offers involving dark skies; intro­ducing enterprises to acces­sible immersive techno­logies (AR, VR). 

2. Technology development of a virtual plane­tarium, 360-degree photo­graphy and star gazing applica­tions, to be shared and adapted across the region 

3. Validation and promotion of Dark Skies tourism as a regional offer across the NPA area, which also serves as means of safeguarding natural assets.  

The outcomes will be integrated into existing tourism strategies and offers on natural and cultural heritage. 

These will enable the enterprises to develop their own green business models. Green business can grow econo­mically and reduce use of resources.  

Regions will enhance their overall tourism offer and this is disse­mi­nated across the NPA. 

Total funding: € 1,798,328.64
ERDF funding: € 1,366,645.00

Partners: 

• Karelia University of Applied Sciences (Finland)  
• Federation of Northern Lapland munici­pa­lities (Finland) (Sodankylä, Inari, Utsjoki) 
• Federation of Regional Autho­rities NW Iceland (Iceland) 
• The Gaeltacht Authority (Ireland)  
• Innovation and Management Centre WestBIC (Ireland) 
• UiT The Arctic University of Norway (Norway) 

Associated partners: 

• Ulster University (Northern Ireland) 
• Snæfellsnes Regional Park (Iceland) 
• Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment/ NKBR (Finland) 
• National Parks and Wildlife Services (Ireland) 
• Värriö Subarctic Research Station | University of Helsinki (Finland) 
• Hólar University (Iceland) 
• Sodankylä Geophy­sical Obser­vatory, University of Oulu (Finland)