Tourism and Leisure Services R&D programme 2006-2009 Funding for Innovative Tourism and Leisure Service Concepts

1. Tourism and Leisure Services R&D programme 2006-2009 Funding for InnovativeTourism and Leisure Service Concepts

2. Funding for the development and research projectsin-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 Programme's services for companies and public research institutions

3. The overriding aim of the programme is to strengthencustomer oriented innovation activities and businessdevelopment within the tourism and leisure service sector The aim of the programme This, in turn, will help to • Create innovative, internationally competitive tourismand leisure services • Improve the availability, quality and attractiveness ofFinnish tourism and leisure services • Improve the efficiency of service production and thereliability of the service production chain • Start up new enterprises specialised on tourism andleisure services • Promote networked business model in the area oftourism and leisure services

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

5. Customer needs, customer behaviour and market potential Development of methods and know-how ranging from the needsof 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 thewhole service concept or are precondition for the whole concept– customer interface services, back office services, equipment,appliances Management, production and seamless coordination oftourism and leisure service processes in a networkedbusiness environment Sustainable development and environment-friendly tourismand leisure services Cooperation between corporate and private organisations The focus areas in developing innovativetourism and leisure service concepts International networking is an essential partof all focus areas

6. What is service concept ? • Standardizedservice 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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. Support for international co-operation

11. 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

12. Contact information Programme Manager: • Senior Technology Adviser Mr. Risto MäkikyröEmployment and Economic Development Centre for Lapland • firstname.lastname@tekes.fi Programme coordinator and coordination team • Mr. Pauli Santala, coordinator • Ms. Minna Kurttila, assistant • Ms. Polina Podmazova, assistant • firstname.lastname@fcg.fi • Further information: www.tekes.fi/vapaa-aika