Market Consultation on the Procurement of an International PR and Destination Branding Partnership

… the questions presented at the end of the document. Responses will be used in the preparation of a possible procurement procedure, invitation to tender, contract model and evaluation criteria. BACKGROUND Visit Turku Archipelago (visitturkuarchipelago.fi) is responsible for developing the attractiveness, awareness and demand of Turku and the Turku Archipelago (saaristo.fi) as a tourism destination in cooperation with municipalities, tourism businesses and other stakeholders throughout the region. The objective of international marketing is to achieve long-term growth in awareness and desirability, as well as demand that supports the sustainable and year-round growth of the regional tourism industry. In Visit Turku Archipelago's strategy, PR and destination branding are intended to become a central method of international marketing. The objective is not merely to increase individual media placements, but to strengthen the position of Turku and the Turku Archipelago as an attractive, distinctive and timely tourism destination and to generate discussion, recommendations and deserve visibility among selected international audiences. Although Visit Turku Archipelago has a strong focus on international marketing and this partnership is thus primarily targeted at international markets, the purpose of the procurement is also to identify a partner capable of operating effectively in domestic marketing. The planned contract period is two (2) years, after which the agreement may be extended for an additional two (2) years at the discretion of the contracting authority. Approximately one million euros has been budgeted for the procurement. The contract period is planned to begin in winter/spring 2027. Appendix 1. comments the subject matter of the procurement, preliminary objectives and limitations, the expertise expected from the partner, the preliminary operating model and performance indicators. These descriptions provide a good overview of the criteria currently understood for the procurement. Interested parties are invited to share their views and contribute to the further development of these plans. QUESTIONS AND SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES More information of the procurement, questions and guidelines for submitting the answers are presented at the end of Appendix 1. Answers can be submitted in English or Finnish. Visit Turku Archipelago, a regional tourism development and marketing company operating in southwestern Finland, Turku and the Turku archipelago, is preparing to acquire a public relations and phenomenon management partnership focusing on international marketing. With this request for information, the procuring entity maps the actors on the market, service models and the appropriate scope and implementation of the procurement. We invite companies in the sector to consult the preliminary procurement description and answer the questions at the end of the document. The answers will be used in the preparation of a possible procurement, call for tenders, contract model and comparison criteria. BACKGROUND Visit Turku Archipelago (visitturkuarchipelago.fi) is responsible for Turku and Turku