The main task of the Visitkarelia Destination project is to build new and significant international tourism productions in North Karelia. In addition, the project promotes the internationalisation of tourism companies and opens new markets (e.g. China) as part of the renewed Lakeland cooperation. Through the measures of the project, international tourism and tourism income to the province will be increased and this will contribute, for example, to the viability of the service business and to the development of air traffic. Visitkarelia Destination is based on the operating models and results of the Northern Karelia Tourism Growth Programme 2015-2017 project. The development of international tourism, initiated with the help of the Growth Programme, will be increased and international partnerships of significant importance to the region will be consolidated as a normal operation. Registered accommodation days for international tourists increased by more than 30 % between January and June 2017 in North Karelia. New investments have also been made in the province, the largest of which is PKO’s investment of approximately EUR 6 million in Nurmes in Bomba. The message from the provincial tourism companies is clear: we are ready to invest in tourism and international tourism. Provincial and national measures and effectiveness are also needed. The visitkarelia Destination project focuses on China and Japan. Regional marketing and development work with the Lake Region (Lakeland region, including Vuokatti, Kuopio and Lappeenranta) and VisitFinland is also needed to increase tourism production coming from the Faroe Market. In Finland, the growth rates of international tourism have been positive for several years. North Karelia has taken part in this positive development in 2017, but still, for example, the number of Asian tourists in North Karelia is small, with less than 1000 registered accommodation days per year. The capacity and competence of tourism operators in the province and region to grow international tourism has been significantly improved by the Tourism Growth Programme during 2015-2017. North Karelia has also gained new international partners and has found operating models that have been successful in the light of current growth rates. In order to continue this development that has begun, we need to invest in those activities that have been identified as effective in the growth programme. Based on these experiences, the objectives and measures of the visitkarelia Destination project are as follows:1) Building new and significant international tourism productions in North Karelia. New tourism productions are sought in addition to Central Europe and Russia, for example in a completely new market area in China. These productions are so-called volume production, which have provincial impact on several regions and enterprises and, for example, on the development of air traffic in the province. As a province and tourism detination (tourism region), participates in Lakeland cooperation to China, coordinated by VisitFinland. Make the first tourism production from China to the Lakeland region (e.g. North Savo, North Karelia, South Savo and South Karelia).2) International growth of tourism companies in North Karelia. The working methods include international workshops and media and tour operator visits to North Karelia. 3) increasing international attractiveness and awareness as tourism detination (tourism area), especially in digital channels, and implementing new approaches to e.g. the electronic assembly, dissemination and visibility of tourism products internationally. The aim is to make North Karelia the first region in Finland to be present in international digital distribution channels through doing and experience. As a result of the Visitkarelia Destination project, registered holidays in the tourism industry will grow from abroad (target + 5 % per year) and two new significant international partnerships will be established at the regional level. In total, the companies involved in the project will receive at least 20 new cooperation agreements from the international market (e.g. tourism product in the catalogue, new cooperation agreement) and provincial tourism articles will be published in international media at least 30. The long-term goal is to significantly increase international tourism volumes and tourist income in North Karelia, especially from new remote markets such as China. Visitkarelia Destination project is applied for by Karelia Expert Matkailupalvelu Oy, a municipal-funded and non-profit-making company. The results of the project are targeted at the whole of the province’s business field.