GLOW2.0 Project Outputs & Results
Useful materials from the project
Project reports, deliverables & other publications
Below you can find project publications, reports, frameworks, guidebooks and toolkits. These cover three main focus areas of the project: - darkness of nature and Dark Sky possibilities for tourism; - immersive technologies for tourism; - light pollution impacts and effects and ways to prevent or reduce it.
GLOW2.0 Capacity Building Study Modules
GLOW2.0 Capacity Building Study Modules have been published! One way GLOW2.0 project aspired to enhance technical and business expertise of SMEs in tourism, was through a Capacity Building Programme (CPB). The programme focused on awareness and understanding about Dark Sky theme and concepts, and helped target groups develop and enhance service offers. The program was first realised in series of workshops, seminars and webinars in each participating region, to be later delivered in a self-study modules. GLOW2.0 capacity building and training program’s contents are based on a survey conducted with SMEs and stakeholders from all four participating regions in the project (Finland, Norway, Iceland and Ireland d 1.4.2023 – 15.5.2023), and on partners’ own knowledge of each region’s specified needs. Capacity building program’s series of modules have been categorized in three sections that match with the project’s work packages, with the additional introductory module designed to engage and inspire also those who are not yet familiar with the fascinating world of darkness and its tourism potential. All study modules are freely available and require no registration. The initial platform is Edukarelia, project partner Karelia UAS’s micro study platform. Through Edukarelia, the modules reach not only Karelia’s audience but are also linked to the Finnish national micro study platform, Opin.fi, ensuring broader visibility and impact for the project’s results. Additional platforms may be introduced depending on opportunities in each partner region. Initially, the modules will be available in English, with translations for partnering regions provided during the course of the project.
In this module you will learn what is Dark Sky Tourism and what are the possibilities of the nocturnal tourism.
Promoting dark sky tourism in remote areas comes with numerous advantages, benefiting both the environment and local communities. This form of tourism can bring economic growth to rural regions by attracting eco-conscious visitors who value sustainable practices. Dark sky tourism also promotes the preservation of natural wonders by reducing the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN), which negatively affects wildlife, human health, and the overall experience of visitors. Furthermore, focusing on natural night skies helps tackle the problem of tourism seasonality, drawing travelers throughout the year and ensuring balanced economic activity in these areas.
You can find this introductory study module at:
Embracing the Night -study module explores the concept of light pollution, providing a detailed explanation of what it is, its main causes, and its effects. You will learn how to observe, measure, and document light pollution, as well as discover practical ways to reduce, prevent, or reverse its impact. By completing this module, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of light pollution, including its appearance, its impact on the natural darkness and benefits of dark skies, and how individuals can contribute to preserving and improving these conditions.
Study modules are available in Edukarelia:
Embracing the Night I: Basics of natural darkness and light pollution
Embark on a mesmerizing journey into the heart of darkness with our exceptional Dark Sky tourism offerings, designed to captivate and enchant every traveler.
In this module, you will discover how to create exceptional Dark Sky tourism offerings that truly captivate your customers. By understanding distinct customer segments and defining who your ideal customers are, you will learn how to tailor your services to meet their specific needs. Additionally, we will cover the art of crafting memorable experiences and storytelling as integral components of your tourism offerings, highlighting how the unique allure of darkness can enhance and add value to your customers' adventures.
Study modules are available at Edukarelia:
Service Design for Dark Sky Tourism I: Identify your customer
Service Design for Dark Sky Tourism II: Define your idea
Service Design for Dark Sky Tourism III: Map your customer's experiences
Service Design for Dark Sky Tourism IV: Create a sellable product
This study module explores the opportunities immersive technologies offer for the tourism sector, especially for small and micro-enterprises in rural and remote areas. Based on insights from the GLOW2.0 project, the module highlights how XR technologies can enhance visitor experiences, support innovation, and open new avenues for storytelling and engagement, including night-time tourism experiences under starry skies.
Participants will learn how to overcome common challenges such as limited resources or technical know-how. Through inspiring examples and practical guidance learners will discover how immersive tools can be both accessible and impactful—helping tourism businesses stand out and thrive in a competitive market.
Study module is available in Edukarelia:
Immersive technology in tourism
Recommendations for those interested in Dark Sky tourism or light pollution prevention and protection
This GLOW2.0 document offers recommendations for tourism companies, organisations, or regions located within the Northern Periphery and Arctic area that are interested in Dark Sky tourism or light pollution prevention and protection. It is an outcome of NPA GLOW2.0 Northern Periphery and Arctic project survey that aimed at identifying the preservation efforts and initiatives for Dark Sky areas and light pollution in participating NPA regions. The study examined the existing strategies to Dark Sky Tourism in Ireland, Finland, Northwest Iceland, and Norway within the context of the NPA region. With a focus on regional development and policy implementation, the study investigated the unique approaches and initiatives adopted by these countries, shedding light on the workings of their respective regional landscapes.
Review Paper of Current Status and Strategies with regards to Dark Sky Tourism
GLOW2.0 Deliverables - Reports on the Project's Development Activities
The objective of NPA GLOW2.0 – Green Energy Technologies for Tourism Growth project was to support enterprises and public organisations in developing tourism flow during the dark autumn and winter months, using darkness of nature and Dark Sky as additional elements for diversifying the tourism package, while effectively communicating light pollution and ways to prevent and reduce it. GLOW2.0 project engaged enterprises from the NPA participating regions of Finland, Ireland, Iceland, and Norway with Capacity Building workshops and events that took place in own regions, and via jointly organised transnational events. The deliverables (reports) below offer summaries of the various GLOW2.0 activities over its three year implementation period. Among other, specified needs of the target audience for creation of a formal capacity building and training programme, upskilling and re-skilling activities, networking events outcomes, and frameworks that can support enterprises and public organisations in developing tourism flow, using darkness of nature and Dark Sky as additional elements for diversifying own tourism packages.
D1.1.1 Specification Of Capacity Training Programme GLOW2.0 (1)
During the first project period (12.2022 – 05.2023) NPA GLOW2.0 partners worked towards identifying the needs of the target audience, the tourism product and service providers from 4 participating countries – Finland, Ireland, Norway and Iceland. This was realised via a survey questionary. This report gives a summary of the survey findings, and specifies the needs of target audience for creation of a formal capacity building and training programme, including synergies with other project activities.
D1.2.1 Capacity Building Program Modules GLOW2.0 (1)
The modules lay a groundwork for assembling a series of actions for example workshops, seminars, webinars, printed or digital study materials, that can be tailored specifically for different regions’ needs while at the same time preserving the capacity building program’s thematic consistency as a whole. Categorization will also help partners in organising their regional activities without unnecessary overlap between different work packages’ actions and capacity building program execution
D1.3.1 Capacity Building Training Programme Events GLOW2.0 (1)
This report only summarizes the stakeholder workshops, seminars, webinars undertaken as part of Activity A1.3 Stakeholder and beneficiary engagements with discussions (workshops, seminars, webinars) to develop the service offer and tourist package (e.g., service design, learning journey model, storytelling e.t.c)
D2.1.1 Concepts Of The Virtual Planetarium GLOW2.0 (1)
The report offers insights on issues to consider when planning and designing a virtual planetarium implementation project.
D2.1.2 Technical Requirement Specification GLOW2.0 (1)
The report offers insights on technical issues and requirements to consider when planning and designing a virtual planetarium implementation project.
D2.2.1 Demo Version For Testing GLOW2.0 (1)
The report offers insights how GLOW2.0 project approached design and development of its Virtual Planetarium immersive technology (coding) development.
D2.3.1 Immersive Virtual Planetarium Experience GLOW2.0 (1)
The goal of the GLOW2.0 VR pilot activity was to create an immersive and interactive application. The report shares ways it was built, tested, revised across various phases of its development. It also shares the contact for those interested in downloading and testing/ using the application.
D2.4.1 Learning Journey Learnings GLOW2.0 (1)
The goal of GLOW2.0 Learning Journeys was to enhance SMEs capacity in dark sky tourism development possibilities, with an emphasis on technological solutions and networking. The other goal was for partners to map the adoption of relevant technology solution in each region. This report presents these various types of Learning Journeys undertaken in the adoption of the relevant technology and dark sky themes development.
D2.4.2 Framework For Supporting Adoption Of Immersive Technologies GLOW2.0 (1)
The framework supports immersive technologies adoption to enhance tourism offerings, strengthen sustainability, and extend visitor engagement into the dark months. It identifies barriers, opportunities, and best practices to help SMEs implement technologies use in ways that align with national strategies for light pollution reduction, dark sky conservation, and responsible innovation. It also supports regional goals of sustainable growth and digital enhancement of natural and cultural heritage.
D2.4.3 Framework For Supporting Service Design Adoption GLOW2.0 (1)
This framework provides guidance for public bodies to effectively support SMEs in adopting service design methodologies for marketing and innovation activities. It outlines strategic approaches for government agencies and regional authorities to establish programmes, policies, and resources that enhance SMEs' competitiveness through customer-centric design. The insights are derived from the GLOW 2.0 project and regional SME engagements.
D2.5.1 Regional Workshops And Events GLOW2.0 (1)
This report summarizes the main activities and outcomes of GLOW2.0 workshops and events organised as part of capacity building, upskilling and reskilling of enterprises and organisations during first half of the project implementation.
D2.5.2 Marketing Development Report GLOW2.0 (1)
This report gives an overview of promotional and communications actions of GLOW2.0 project in participating regions for purposes of regional and national impact, and those done in joint collaboration with an aim of transnational and global impact.
D2.6.1 Regional Workshops And Events GLOW2.0 (1)
GLOW2.0 project consortium organised Capacity Building workshops and events for enterprises and organisations in Service Design innovation and marketing. This report summarizes the main activities and outcomes of the GLOW2.0 Service Design innovation and marketing workshops and events organised as part of capacity building, upskilling and reskilling of enterprises and organisations.
D3.1.1 Template Of Good Practices For Dark Skies Tourism GLOW2.0 (1)
The template outlines a set of good practices and criteria for attaining and utilising Dark Sky status as a driver for tourism and economic development. It has been developed as part of the GLOW2.0 project, which supports rural communities and enterprises in Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Ireland to grow sustainably through dark skies tourism. The template provides a practical set of best practices that destinations can adapt when developing tourism linked to night skies cultural and natural heritage.
D3.2.1 A Review Paper Indicating The Current Status Of Strategies GLOW2.0
The report shared results of examined multi-layered strategies in GLOW2.0 distinct regions of Finland, Ireland, Iceland and Norway, providing valuable insights into the active challenges and opportunities facing the NPA region. It also offers hints of ways to advance dark sky preservation for balancing economic, social, cultural and environmental benefits.
D3.3.1 Minutes Of Workshops With List Of Agreed Actions GLOW2.0
The report shares outcomes from regional discussions and events across various participating regions.
O1.1 Online Capacity Building Training Programme GLOW2.0 (1)
GLOW2.0 project consortium created this output O1.1 Online Capacity Building Training Programme, designed and developed for enterprises and organisations interested in the Dark Sky tourism economy to get inspired, upskill or reskill themselves on thematics of service design, immersive technologies, the role light pollution plays on tourism businesses and economies, and application of green business models. This report summarizes main activities, highlights in it’s development, and links to the modules.
Output O2.1 Virtual Planetarium GLOW2.0
In this document the development progress, modifying and improving the GLOW2.0 developed Virtual Planetarium application to meet tourism SMEs needs is described, as well as application adapting in various regions: learning journeys and regional testing, intentions to take the application into use. Potential benefits for application for tourism sector SMEs of participating regions were evaluated.
Darkness and Light Pollution Information Boards
These free-to-use information boards offer basic information on the benefits and significance of darkness and light pollution for a younger audience. They include stories of the dark skies, flora and fauna and tips for nighttime activities. First tested in a visitor centre of the Koli national park, they suit many purposes and destinations. The A3 sized panels were created by project partner Karelia UAS and are available in Finnish and English.
Immersive technology in tourism : Barriers and potential across the NPA region
Immersive technology is a growing industry that offers new opportunities for various industries, including tourism. However, findings from the GLOW2.0 project indicate that the adoption of immersive technologies among tourism businesses in Finland, Iceland, Ireland and Norway remains relatively limited. This case study aims to support the adoption of immersive technologies in tourism by offering a basic understanding of tools such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and 360-degree visualisations, illustrated through a real-world example.
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-275-461-5
Integrating Matka 2024 Learnings into Dark Sky Tourism Communication for Sustainable Travel
GLOW2.0’s Finnish partner Karelia UAS’ representatives attended the Matka 2024 Travel Fair in Helsinki on January 18th. The aim was to gain up-to-date knowledge of tourism industry, present the project and explore different ways to make tourism entrepreneurs and travellers more aware of the opportunities of the dark skies and new technologies. The trip proved to be successful: both old and new connections with stakeholders were fortified and benchmarking showed that there is indeed a market niche for dark skies related tourism offerings in Northern Europe. This article focuses on Dark Skies Tourism related viewpoints on responsible tourism as learned from the conference.
Integrating Matka 2024 Learnings into Dark Sky Tourism
The making of GLOW2.0 light pollution animation video
This publication's collection of articles offers an in-depth look at how the Karelia University of Applied Sciences responds to the educational challenges and opportunities of today and the future through applied education, practical research, and internationalisation. GLOW2.0 featured article in the publication (Supporting students work-life preparedness through RDI project, pages 28 - 32) describes how applied education and practical research were intertwined in the production of the GLOW2.0 animation video ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8HbeZQx-_Y ) for the project's international target groups.
Selected Perspectives on Internationalisation and Applied Education and Research 2024