The joint development work of Hanko’s local independent retailers continued in the first autumn co-creation workshop of the Digi+Hiiletön 2.0: Carbon-Neutral Tourism Businesses – Smart Tourism Destinations project on 15 September. The workshop brought together 12 SMEs and other organizations from across the city interested in the development of Hanko’s local retail sector.
During the workshop, participants reviewed the results of the summer’s collaborative experiments and customer survey. They also began planning development actions for 2027. There was unanimous agreement that both the summer initiatives and the co-creation process had been successful. Participants particularly valued the extensive collection of customer feedback, which provides a stronger foundation for making informed development decisions and prioritizing future actions.
The summer experiments also reinforced the idea that customers can be served more effectively when businesses operate as a connected tourism ecosystem. Future development work will focus on areas such as joint events, visibility, marketing, services, and coordinated opening hours.
A Message from Nearly 600 Respondents: Hanko Is Unique
A customer survey conducted during the summer gathered nearly 600 responses from tourists, second-home residents, and other visitors to Hanko. The results were presented by project expert Meri Vehkaperä, who highlighted key findings and development recommendations during the workshop.
Overall, the survey results were highly positive. Respondents described Hanko as an attractive and atmospheric summer town whose appeal is built on its maritime character, harbor, beaches, architecture, and unique ambience. One of the strongest themes to emerge was the importance of local independent shops as part of Hanko’s identity.
Respondents praised the friendliness of local shopkeepers, personalized customer service, and the distinctive character of small businesses. For many visitors, shopping in local stores is an experience in itself rather than simply a purchasing transaction. High-quality products, local offerings, and the selection of vintage and second-hand stores also received considerable praise.
This workshop was organized as part of the Digi+Hiiletön 2.0: Carbon-Neutral Tourism Businesses – Smart Tourism Destinations project, which is co-funded by the European Union.
The English translation of this article was prepared with the assistance of AI tool (Copilot).