In the off-season toolkit you will find practical hands-on material such as a step-by-step handbook for tourism businesses, a free image bank, insights on who the nature tourist is and what they are looking for as well as other useful resources.
For DMOs we also have a whole marketing concept ready to be used and a workshop manual.
A practical step-by-step handbook that guides tourism businesses through the process of developing, testing and refining off-season tourism products. (The handbook combines practical tools, examples and lessons learned from SMEs around the Baltic Sea Region.)
Off-Season: A Gateway to New Business Opportunities (PDF)
A downloadable working template that helps you structure and document your product development process. (Use it to map ideas, target groups, resources and implementation plans.)
Off-Season Product Development Form (PDF)
Present your tourism product in a clear and professional format. (The template can be used when describing experiences to partners, customers and destination organisations.)
Free-to-use photographs from tourism destinations around the Baltic Sea Region. (The images can be used in destination marketing, product promotion and communication activities according to the provided terms.)
Marketing concept for the Baltic Sea Region
A ready-made marketing concept developed for off-season tourism promotion. (Includes campaign ideas, messaging approaches and practical recommendations for communicating nature-based experiences.)
A facilitation guide designed for destination management organisations. (the manual contains workshop exercises, discussion frameworks and practical tools for supporting local tourism businesses in off-season development.)
Facilitating Tourism Experience Design Workshops: A Manual for DMOs (PDF)
These reports summarise market insights, visitor expectations, challenges and lessons learned from research and piloting activities carried out across the Baltic Sea Region.
Visitor Analysis Report –
Full Report (PDF)
Visitor Analysis Report –
Infographic (PDF)
Visitor Analysis Report –
YouTube video
Challenge Inventory Report
(PDF)
Challenge Invertory Report –
YouTube video
Off-Season Tourism Piloting Results (PDF)
Explore articles covering off-season tourism, nature-based experiences, sustainability and innovation from across the Baltic Sea Region.
Watch expert presentations and discussions covering tourism development, marketing, visitor trends and practical lessons from the project.
Join us for an inspiring webinar focused on helping tourism entrepreneurs in the Baltic Sea region create and market off-season experiences. Discover practical tools, real-life success stories, and expert advice on nature tourism, collaboration, and sales strategies. Hosted by Helena von Schoultz and featuring speakers from leading organizations and businesses.
Key Topics:
Opening words about the project Light in the Dark
How to prolong the tourism season
Monika Birkle, Project Manager, Åland University of applied sciences
Understanding nature tourists, expectations, motivations, and seasonal preferences
Professor Diana Šaparnienė, Klaipeda University
Seasonality –how to innovate new services for a year-round business
Mati Kose owner of Wild Estonian Nature and co-founder of the Estonian Nature Tourism association
Panel discussion
The first Light in the Dark tourism webinar where we offer inspiring examples of companies and destinations innovatively developing their region throughout the year.
What is the potential in the regional and European markets? How can I attract tour operators to my region? An invited panel of destinations and entrepreneurs ponder the challenges and possibilities of sustainably developing tourism that offers the most benefits to their communities.
Speakers:
Ēriks Lingebērziņš – Director of Balticvision and assistant professor at the Faculty of International Tourism, Turiba University, Latvia
Pernille Kofod Lydolph – former Director of Destination Bornholm, Denmark
Andy Fairburn – Director of Nordic Tourism Collective, United Kingdom
Maria Pick, tourism developer, Kimitö Islands and Örö, Finland
The AI-powered tool is designed to spark creative nature-based experience concepts tailored to your business and place.
© 2026 Light In The Dark.
