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BusinessOulu aims to boost exports to Norway by 50 million euros

Julkaistu 20.01.2014

In northern Norway, the prospecting and production of oil and gas is moving on to new regions. The resulting demand, investments and business provide great opportunities for companies based in northern Scandinavia. This can already be seen in the results of BusinessOulu’s Nordic program, which began in 2013: during the second half of 2013, 40 companies from northern Finland submitted quotations and started doing business in Norway.

BusinessOulu has set an objective of increasing exports from the Oulu region in Finland to Norway by 50 million euros.

“I see our current steps, the operations of Suomi-talo, and the new flight route as significant leaps in the cooperation effort in the Barents region and northern Scandinavia. It is important for Oulu to serve as a central operator in these developments. The flight traffic between Finland, Sweden, and Norway, and Finland’s railway connection to the Arctic Ocean present great logistical opportunities for the rest of Europe," says Mari-Leena Talvitie, Chair of the Oulu City Council.

Suomi-talo in Norway to help boost exports

The objectives of Suomi-talo (“Finland House”), which will be opened in Tromsø, Norway on Tuesday, January 21, the new Arctic Airlink flight route Oulu-Luleå-Tromsø, and the entire BusinessOulu Nordic program is to promote and improve the operating conditions of the exports, investments, education and research, employment, cultural and event tourism, and business opportunities resulting from the growing cooperation between northern Norway and northern Finland.

At the same time, Suomi-talo will serve as a strong marketing channel and cooperation venue for northern Finland. Suomi-talo will also help local companies adapt their products and services to the Norwegian market and Arctic conditions, and boost demand for them.

Cultural and event tourism and travel are expected to experience strong growth in northern Scandinavia in the coming years. Major events related to recreation, concerts, light music, culture and sports that attract visitors across state borders are constantly being organized in Oulu, Luleå, Tromsø and other Nordic cities. Oulu is also one of the top five conference cities in Finland, being a sufficiently large but compact city ideal for all kinds of meetings and gatherings.

The new direct Arctic Airlink flight route Oulu-Luleå-Tromsø to open in the fall

The new direct Arctic Airlink flight route Oulu-Luleå-Tromsø, which will open in summer or fall 2014 at the latest, will play a major role in the realization of the region’s growth targets for companies, exports, university cooperation, and conference and recreation tourism.

According to market surveys, the demand for a direct international flight route will grow significantly in the coming years. The opening of the flight route is a direct result of the cooperation between Swedish, Finnish, and Norwegian industry operators. Some of the most significant contributors in this development have been the Luleå-based Norrbotten Chamber of Commerce, BusinessOulu and the Tromsø County Government. The aim is to regularize the new flight route within five years.

The direct Arctic Airlink flight route will open up new markets, make it easier and faster to travel in the Nordic countries, enable growth and create new potential for business in the region. Improved traffic connections will also help companies find the kind of expertise and services they need. This will result not only in new jobs and decreased unemployment, but also increase the online mobility of expertise, planning and service markets.

To begin with, the plan is to offer four flights per week. The new flight route will offer a more efficient, safer, faster, and more reliable way to travel within northern Scandinavia, and optimize the utilization of expertise and resources in the Barents region. The flight route will also increase international tourism, event marketing and cross-cultural cooperation in the region.

Jobbe i Norge campaign to offer 100 summer jobs in Norway this summer

The Oulu region has set an objective of promoting workforce and expertise mobility between northern Finland and northern Norway. The aim of the Jobbe i Norge campaign, which kicks off in February 2014, is to open up job opportunities in northern Norway for jobseekers over the age of 18 from the Oulu region.

The goal is to connect Norwegian employers looking for employees at the Jobbmessa 2014 event, which will be held in Tromsø on March 18, 2014, with jobseekers from the Oulu region and help them arrange interviews and establish possible employment relationships.

Those interested can apply for open jobs in the campaign through the www.duunaamo.fi/nordic website, which will open in early February. The website will also open a CV bank, where those seeking work in northern Norway or Sweden can submit open applications. More information about the campaign will be provided at a later date.

Additional information:

Pauliina Pikkujämsä
Marketing Manager, BusinessOulu
+358 40 7434362
pauliina.pikkujamsa@businessoulu.com

Jukka Olli
Senior Advisor, BusinessOulu
+358 50 563 4954 jukka.olli@businessoulu.com

Mika Vierimaa
Planner, Employment Services, City of Oulu
+358 50 568 6008
mika.vierimaa@ouka.fi