Syyskuun elämyspersoona

Elämystalouden opit ovat antaneet vuosia matkailualaa konsultoineelle Ove Gjesdalille aivan uuden perspektiivin. Talvimatkailukeskusten suunnitteluun ja niiden kesäaktiviteettien kehittämiseen erikoistunut Gjesdal onkin jalkauttanut tehokkaasti elämystalouden oppeja norjalaisiin matkailuyrityksiin. Haastattelussamme selviää myös, mikä on ollut korkeita paikkoja kammoavan norjalaisen mieleenpainuvin elämys.

When and how did you realize you were living in an Experience Economy?

For me it started with Rolf Jensen's book "The dream society" in 1998 which influenced my consulting quite substantially.

You’ve been working for years as a consultant in the tourism and leisure industries. How would you describe these industries have changed compared to what they were, say, ten years ago? And how do you see their development in the next ten years?

I would call it an evolution rather than revolution. Internet has, of course, had a great impact on our industry both as an information and a booking channel. Internet and the low cost airlines are the main external factors which have boomed globalisation within tourism, both from demand and supply perspective.

Next 10 years? Hard to tell. International demand will continue growing, especially from markets like China and India. We might see more regulations on air travel, influencing where we'll go on holiday. The fragmented industry will most likely see larger, globalized companies in order to increase profitability. Tourists will be seeking experiences in direction of personal development - transformation - both in terms of body and soul.

You are one of LEO Certified Experience Experts. What was the biggest insight of the training? How have you made use of this knowledge in you work?

I would say the combination of understanding consumer needs and the elements an experience should take into consideration in order to increase value. This knowledge has been really useful for me. The experience expertise has given me a national position within the industry, and moreover, we are able to provide our clients with a clear and efficient tool through our licensed courses.

What kind of response have the experience trainings received in Norway?

Outstanding I would say! More than 100 companies have taken a 3 or 4 day course, and many of them have responded that this have been the best course ever!

Finnish ski resorts are actively developing summer tourism, what is the situation in Norway? How can the theses of the Experience Economy be exploited to combat seasonality?

Seasonality is a great challenge also for our mountain resorts. They are all working hard to find the Holy Grail of summer. The only way forward is to understand the trends and driving forces in the market, and work innovatively in both product development and in how summer is organised and marketed.

SMEs often have limited financial resources, limited management expertise etc. How do you see, how can SMEs benefit from the Experience Economy? Please give an example.

The advantage the small companies have is that they can customize and personalize meaningful experiences better than more industrialized chains. Høve Støtt, a Norwegian event company, has entirely changed their product portfolio and product development process after understanding the theses of Experience Economy.

How do you think ICT can best exploited in rendering meaningful experiences?

To be honest, I'm not sure. Right now there is a gap between generations. The older generations tend to say "less is more" - less information on holiday is a positive contrast to the daily life - while the younger ones have a totally different perspective. ICT is a powerful tool in order to encourage and memorize meaningful experiences with services like Flickr and Tripadvisor. Web 2.0 will lead to an information shift from the supplier side to the consumers.

The experience economy allows make more money with less customers. What kind of experiences do you have of pricing of experience products?

The Norwegian tourism suppliers have a lot to learn when it comes to pricing! We struggle with a national image of being expensive (as well as dark and cold), which forces our prices down. The new sauna gondola in Ylläs which costs about 125 euro for 2 hours per person is a good example of both innovation and right pricing.

You have visited Finland several times. How do you see our countries in the world’s experience industry map?

We have great potential to grow! Authenticity, unique nature and white snow are some of the key assets to exploit further.

What is your advise to the tourism industry to keep up with the global competition?

Be market-oriented, innovative, find the best collaborators within the value and distribution chain, become more internationalized in terms of knowledge and positioning. Deliver memorable moments - again and again!

What is the best and most unforgettable experience you’ve had yourself? Why?

Sky diving together with my girlfriend - because I'm really scared of heights!

Meaningful experiences stay in the long lasting memory. Our last month’s Experience Person, producer Pera Hussi asks you, if you were struck by a total loss of memory and were given a chance to recall just one single memory, what would that be?

The birth of my first child, I'd have to say.

What would you like to ask the next Experience Person of the Month?

What will follow the Experience Economy and what will be the driving forces in the next Economy?