Inspired by today’s fresh tourism statistics, I’m creating this post at the end of a busy day, just before heading to bed. Building a destination brand, like tourism marketing, is an endurance sport. In Oulu, we’ve been working diligently for three years since our city mayor initiated a regional questionnaire to determine the focus of Oulu Matkailu Oy (Visit Oulu) . The result? A clear mandate for international marketing. Since then, we’ve consistently directed our resources, collaborated with local municipalities and stakeholders, and expanded our efforts to showcase Oulu as a destination. This persistence is now slowly paying off. Recent statistics highlight significant growth in international tourism , with Oulu registering a remarkable 47% increase in foreign overnight stays and a total of 88,000 paid overnight stays for August. The 23.5% increase in total overnight stays and a 29% rise in accommodation sales underline how branding efforts, partnerships, and long-term strategies a...