Saimaa Taste of Place. Food as a source of the sense of place and as a means to promote tourism (SToP)

The purpose of this project is to provide the elements that are the basis of the specialness and distinctiveness of Saimaa region. The aim is to approach the special and distinctive elements with the concept of Sense of Place, which consists of both the physical and social environment. The Saimaa Sense of Place elements form a basis from which the Saimaa Taste of Place will be inferred, that is, the special features connected to the food produced in the Saimaa region. The findings can be used to promote tourism in the Saimaa region. Further more the project promotes the construction of service provision specifically for the specifics of the area. Companies can deepen the place experiences gained by tourists and create new experiences as well as new service offerings. The project also creates content for marketing the Saimaa region as a tourist destination.

During the project a multiphase and multilevel data collection will be conducted in Southern Savo. The data consist of printed and electrical material, interviews with the locals, and material collected through ethnographic fieldwork. From the data the special elements of the Saimaa region will be analysed. The project includes also an assessment and benchmarking of the product descriptions of the EU quality system for protected food products and specification the geographical indicators that make up their distinctive character. Information on the geographical indicators of the system is collected for use as a tool for benchmarking. The project organizes workshops in which companies are guided to identify, brainstorm and work on the utilization of local specificities in a value-added way.

The target group of the project is all tourism and food-related companies that can take advantage of the region's specificity in their operations or in the development of products and services. The indirect target group of the project is the organizations and associations responsible for the marketing and development of tourism in the Saimaa region. The project is funded by the Southern Savonia Regional Council - European Regional Development Fund ERDF.