The Regional Development Committee in Region Västerbotten has produced a draft strategy for the tourism industry for 2027–2030. The draft is now being sent out for consultation to municipalities, the County Administrative Board, and other affected actors, with a response period during September–October. The draft strategy identifies areas where the region can contribute: strengthening collaboration between municipalities and businesses, developing existing tourist destinations, and contributing to better conditions year-round. The specific feedback or changes expected from the consultation process have not been detailed, and the exact dates for the response period within September–October remain unspecified.
According to Rickard Carstedt, the region does not drive the tourism industry but can create better conditions. After the consultation period, the draft will be processed for political handling.
In parallel, Region Norrbotten is updating its regional development strategy in 2024. The regional development strategy will be updated to focus on the future up to 2040. The strategy will form the basis for decisions on what Region Norrbotten should invest its regional development funds in. The detailed priorities or projects that will be included in the updated strategy have not been disclosed.
Developing a regional development strategy is part of the mandate given to regions by the state. The strategy is linked to the sustainability goals of Agenda 2030, the development of EU regions, and national goals. The regional development strategy must be updated at least once between each election. The latest strategy came into effect in 2019 and aimed at 2030. The specific societal challenges Norrbotten aims to address with its updated strategy have not been outlined.
The revision work will continue until the end of 2025. The Region Board will meet on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, starting at 1:00 PM in the Board Room, Region House in Luleå. The meeting is open to the public.
Region Norrbotten invites media to attend the workshop Future Lab, a project where young people aged 15–25 together with Region Norrbotten's elected representatives explore future issues and development in Norrbotten. How public input from initiatives like Future Lab will be incorporated into the regional development strategy has not been specified.