1. THE TELEMARK CANAL
REGIONAL PARK
More than a Boat Trip!
Green and blue futures
Clonmel, Co Tipperary, Ireland, 10th October 2013
Frida Sviland, project coordinator

2. Contents
1. The Telemark Canal and The Regional Park.
2. More than a boat trip - how to make more visitors stay longer and return.

3. Dalen
Notodden
Skien
Skien – Dalen 105 km
Skien – Notodden – 80 km

4. The Telemark Canal
•
Natural waterways
o Lakes, rivers and waterfalls
•
Canal from 1861
o 18 locks lifts 72 m
o Regular canal boats
o Timber, industrial goods, people
•
Tourist canal from 2006
o May - September
o 3 canalboats - 20 000 pax
o Visitors on shore

5. The challenge
•
•
To few visitors.
•
Difficult economy for tourist business.
•
Photo: Telemark County Council
Short season.
How to make
o more people come
o stay longer
o and return?

6. The Telemark Canal
Regional Park (2012)
Permanent platform for cooperation
•
•
Government agencies
Private business
•
Volunteers
Objective
•
•
Attractive tourist destination and residence
Growth and development in business/industry
Owners
•
•
•
6 municipalities
County council
Canal Enterprise
Organisation
•
•
Photo: Telemark County Council
2 employees + network of owners
332 000 Euro + projects

7. The canal and the canal landscape

8. More than a boat trip!
• Visitors regard The Telemark Canal as just a boat trip.
• Show visitors what more to see and do in the canal landscape.
• Build local attraction clusters and connecting activity networks.
Photo: Telemark County Council

9. Industrial
heritage
Fruites
landscape
Culture and hiking
in spectacular nature
Cultural
heritage
The Telemark Canal
More than a boat trip!
Canal city

10. Attraction clusters – example
The fruit landscape
•
Large production of apples.
•
17 farms/businesses cooperate.
•
Design program for visits on the farms.
•
Taste, buy and experience.
•
Booking of groups.
•
Pilot this summer - many visitors.
•
Next: Cycling, canoeing, walking the
fruit landscape.

11. Local clusters – lessons so far
•
Local identity and ownership.
•
Focus on existing attractions and make them cooperate.
•
Bring in private business, commercial elements.
•
How to move between attractions by car, foot, bicycle, boat.
•
Where to eat local food, find toilets, by souvenirs, sleep.
•
Make attractions recognize and promote each other.
•
Establish a common history with connection to the canal.
•
Local clusters of small attractions make them more visible and attractive.

12. Collection of local clusters – lessons so far
•
The regional park brings the local
clusters together, to learn, change
ideas.
•
A variation of local clusters makes
the regional park richer and more
attractive.

13. Activity networks in the canal landscape
•
Activity tourism grows - the canal
landscape offers many possibilities.
•
Leisure boats are declining – but vital for
the canal.
•
Routes and connections between
attraction clusters.
•
Combine canalboats and activities.
•
Need facilitation and marketing.

14. Routes, maps, service for cycling

15. Routes, maps, service for hiking

16. Routes, maps and service for canoeing

17. Campsites with sanitation, waste management, fireplace

18. Piers and marinas with fuel, fresh water, waste management, se

19. Lots of things to do –
no low season for
the regional park!

20. Thank you – and welcome!
Photo: O. C. Thomassen