Under the Interreg Central Baltic Programme, a new development project called Scaling Experiences has been launched. It aims to help tourism and creative businesses in Estonia, Latvia, and Finland take their services to the next level. The project primarily focuses on rural areas near the eastern border of the European Union, with the goal of making them attractive destinations for international tourists.
Project Goal
The objective of the project is to support approximately 80 new small and medium-sized enterprises (15–20 from Estonia, 15–25 from Latvia, and 20 from Finland) in the fields of hospitality and experience services, mainly in rural areas near the EU’s eastern border.
The programme is based on the innovative Experience Economy business model. Experiences are categorized into four core types: entertainment, educational, aesthetic, and escapist. Each business’s task is to find the right balance between these categories.
The Experience Economy model allows small enterprises to move up the value chain—from a service-based economy to an experience-based one. Businesses will be engaged through two application rounds, and each programme cycle will last approximately 8 months.
Why This Project Matters
Currently, tourism businesses near the EU’s eastern border face similar challenges: the region is not perceived as safe enough to visit. Companies must work hard to attract visitors, stand out from other destinations, and offer added value and memorable experiences.
The project partners have identified shared interests among regional entrepreneurs:
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Increase the economic value of their services through the Experience Economy model
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Reach new target groups in international markets
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Elevate their branding and marketing activities to the next level
Participating businesses will receive customized growth journeys and personalized support from mentors, coaches, and tourism experts. Regular cross-border networking events and workshops will be held, supplemented by study trips. It is expected that around 60 companies will show real growth results.
Participation
Companies can apply to participate in the programme during two rounds: in autumn 2025 and autumn 2026. The programme is primarily targeted at businesses that have been operating for 5 to 7 years and are ready to move to the next level of growth.
Project Partners
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Tartumaa Tourism Foundation (Estonia)
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Association of Local Authorities of Lääne-Viru County (Estonia)
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Tartu Centre for Creative Industries (Estonia)
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NGO Vidzeme Creative Club (Latvia)
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Latgale Tourism Association (Latvia)
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South-Eastern Finland University of Applied Sciences (XAMK) (Finland)
SCALING EXPERIENCES
Duration: 05/2025 – 10/2027
Total Budget: €1,320,250
EU Support: €1,056,200
Programme info: www.centralbaltic.eu
Project Coordinator (via Tartumaa Tourism Foundation):
Janely Trahv
janely.trahv@visitsouthestonia.com
+372 5670 9096
A new course will begin in the autumn, and registration for the new group remains open until the end of July. More information and the registration link can be found HERE!
Sept 2026 – May 2027
Program
- Applications to participate in the program can be submitted until July 20, 2026
- We expect up to two active participants from each company, with at least one belonging to the company’s management team.
- The program lasts for 9 months, September 2026 – May 2027
- Program activities: opening meeting, practical workshops and group meetings, individual meetings with advisors, study trips to Finnish and Latvian companies, online networking meetings
Program schedule
- Opening meeting September 10, 2026 in Tartu
- Individual meetings with advisors to prepare an action plan, both on-site at the company and online – October–December 2026
- Regular meetings with tourism advisors during the implementation of the action plan, November 2026 – April 2027 (2–3 meetings at the company, online meetings as needed by agreement with the advisor)
- Group counseling for concept development – October 2026
- 2–3 practical workshops – January–March 2027
- 2 group counseling sessions for designing and developing new experiences – March–May 2027
- 3 webinars together with Finnish and Latvian companies – January–March 2027
- Two online networking meetings – March–May 2027
- Study trip to Latvian companies – March 16–18, 2027
- Study trip to Finnish companies – May 10–12, 2027
The participation fee for the program is 300 euros per company, which can be paid in two installments upon request. The participation fee is non-refundable if a company withdraws from the program. A special agreement applies to members of the South Estonia Tourism Cluster.
An interview will be held with all candidates, either online or on-site at the company, to assess the company’s suitability and motivation for participating in the program.
For more information, please contact Janely: janely.trahv@visitsouthestonia.com
Project participants
Oct 2025 – May 2026
As part of the project “Creating Experiences” (Loome elamusi), an entrepreneurship training program took place from September to May, involving Estonian, Latvian, and Finnish companies that developed new services. Three creative enterprises from Tartu County also participated in the project.
ÕPIÕU has previously offered training sessions for school students and children of various ages, but the whole system of trainings was unstructured, and information about them could not be found online. Within the framework of the project, a new website was created to compile the different training courses systematically and attractively. You can explore Õpiõu’s training options on their website at https://www.opioues.com/ and on Facebook.
METSALIISU KERAAMIKA offers various ceramics workshops and beautiful ceramic products. During the project, designer Liis Laht focused on pricing her products and services, finding new clients, and developing her website. You can follow the activities of the Metsaliisu pottery studio on the website https://metsaliisu.ee/ and on social media: https://www.facebook.com/metsaliisu and https://www.instagram.com/metsaliisu/.
KIHARHAIR is a company that offers woodcarving workshops accompanied by various additional programs. During the project, the company’s founder, Markus Meldo, opened his workshop space called “Katus” (Roof), where he also serves excellent coffee and home-baked cake to workshop participants. In addition, he developed a new mobile service called “Katus sõidab” (The Roof is Rolling), traveling directly to companies by car to provide the service wherever it is needed. You can follow Kiharhair’s activities here: https://kiharhair.ee/, https://www.facebook.com/kiharhair, and https://www.instagram.com/kiharhair/.
