Arc Gate - Innovative Service Points for Maritime Tourists

The Finnish and Stockholm archipelago consist of thousands of islands open to maritime tourists. But how to enjoy them without owning a boat? In the framework of the ArcGate project we have identified 14 travel hubs, we call ”Service Points” in the Stockholm and Finnish Archipelago. The service points are all connected to public transport. However, to this day, the service points that we have identified excludes many potential visitors coming by public transport like families, elderly people, disabled and non-native speaking, and so on.  We want to give maritime visitors a joyfulexperience by providing them with accessible travel information.

The aim is to open the "gates" to maritime tourists who don't have a boat or knowledge about the peculiar travel conditions that apply each day. The project aims at increasing the service at these "gates" and to get the infrastructure in place so that tourists can find their destination without worrying about how to return home.

The goal is to simplify the planning of their stay with digital maps and signs. For that an investment in resting areas and service port buildings that can provide toilets, shelter, charging of batteries and safe lockers is needed. This way, the service point visitors can benefit from an accessible infrastructure and from a more integrated travel experience. Visitors arriving at the servicepoint by bus, bike or car should easily understand the timetables of departing boats of the way to their destination and back. We want to get the infrastructure in place so that you can literally and mentally reaload your batteries. The visitor arriving on e-bike have a need for rest, fill upp water, plan for the night and maybe a more spontanous island hopping.  With our projects, the service points will provide a more integrated and detailed info about the archipelago exeperience.