Koli has a tourist asset that is not afraid to market-Silja Roos and Vera Kota-aho suddenly turned out of the ice
Driving on the ice of a lake is an unprecedented experience for many. However, for tourism entrepreneurs, the ice road is a difficult target to productize.
Kolin Ice Road in Lieksa is a attractive tourist asset that is not afraid to market. Marketing enthusiasm is reduced by the uncertainty of ice roads in the national landscape.
– Because of the weather, we don’t always know when the ice road will be opened. One challenge from a marketing point of view is that it has not been opened every winter, says Koukku.
The hook admits that the ice road may have been forgotten as a tourist product.
– Europe’s longest inland ice road should definitely be put back on the map. Jäätie is an experience and certainly of a special quality, especially for international customers.
Many have never driven ice by car
The winter weather has been milder than usual, but the Kolin ice road was opened over the weekend.
There was enough traffic on the ice road in the first hours on Saturday. Some of the motorists were even enthusiastic about the opening of the road. Still others found driving on ice scary.
– It was just a hot idea to drive on ice, though it was forced to test it. I had never been on the ice before.
The ice road can be officially and safely opened when there is at least 40 centimeters of steel ice. The carrying capacity of the ice road is limited. The weight limit on the Koli–Vuonislahti ice road is three tons.
A shorter journey for the afternoon coffee
The seven-kilometer long ice road from Lieksa Kol to Vuonislahti shortens the distance between the villages by about 50 kilometers.
– It’s good that they opened this road this year. The journey will be shortened quite a lot, rejoiced Timo Silvennoinen, who drives on the ice road a few times a year.
Kärkkäinen, an entrepreneur who has already retired, sees the ice road as saving time and money.
– The price of fuel is high, so the economic significance is big.
