Company
The ultimate goal of ToolBox Consulting Ltd., with more than 30 years of experience in the tourism industry, is to operate on an international level. The company was formerly called ToolBox Travel marketing & consulting but changed its name in September 1st, 2019. The staff at ToolBox and subcontracted partner companies aim to provide the tourism industry with alternatives for tourism product development, regional strategic planning and internationalization efforts.
Image and branding processes are today’s hot topics. So is sustainable tourism. The challenging part is integrating these practices into the company’s daily operations. We are interested in what can be referred to as a Slow Travel theme. We wish to implement an improved understanding of time in connection with experiences visitors are looking for.
We invest strongly in networking and benefiting from collaboration. Our network of tourism expertise spans across many countries and continents. In ToolBox Consulting we recognize the need for active participation in international organizations and active involvement with different tourism research groups and trend documentation providers. They provide a broader perspective for many challenging issues facing the tourism industry of today.
We wish to provide a springboard for tourism students or those who have been ware working long time in tourism business and looking for new careers in the tourism sector. We offer project work, counselling, survey projects and creation of marketing events and campaigns. We value tourism education and hope that everyone who has completed this education will find a career in the tourism industry.
History
ToolBox Consulting Ltd. was established in year 2000 and was form early called ToolBox-travel marketing & consulting. The company initially organized tourism training programmes and tourism seminars. The programmes mainly concentrated on tourism strategies, improvement of entrepreneurship and developing local events including customer service.
Later on guiding services in the Eastern Uusimaa Region took on a larger role – especially in the city of Porvoo. These guiding services were offered during the years 2001–2003. ToolBox has been involved in several Entrepreneurship Training Courses. The “Palvelua Sydämellä” (Service with Heart) training course was one the first courses where ToolBox held an active role. Prior to this a “Welcome Host” Training Coursetook place, with the idea copied from Scotland. This training course was mainly focusing on the younger generation with interest in the tourism industry. The “Welcome Host” Training took place in the Kalajoki, Reisjärvi and Haukivuori Municipalities in Finland.
ToolBox Consulting had something of “a second emergence” after Kari Halonen left the Helsinki City Tourist & Convention Bureau in the beginning of 2012. This decision was taken after a year of planning the new career. The focus, at the very beginning, was on tourism development and marketing. Having such an extensive network of contacts in and outside of Finland, where the company today is based, has been a great advantage. Nowadays company operates in all Baltic and Nordic countries promoting these regions in nearly 30 countries in all continents.
Business Idea
ToolBox Consulting Ltd. is specialized in the service sector and especially in assisting the tourism industry with all types of operations.
ToolBox offers and conducts:
• Education and training programmes
• Product development
• Research and survey projects
• Improvement of marketing efforts (marketing activities, marketing events)
• Our emphasis is on an international approach in every aspect of our operations. We have marketing knowledge from close to 30 countries.
Social Equity
ToolBox Consulting Ltd. wants to be as impartial, fair and justice for all people in social policy. Company actually has some focus groups in employment sector and that is elderly people and foreign exchange students who have sometimes in our region difficulties to be employed. We would like to be an example where social equity takes into account systemic inequalities to ensure everyone in a community has access to the same opportunities and outcomes.
Also in sustainability operations we would like to collect primary choices when it comes to quality and environmental awareness. The company has a visible role in society and provides improved ways of operating in the tourism industry and particularly when it comes to leisure tourism.
ToolBox operates in cooperation with the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation.
https://luonnonperintosaatio.fi/en/and the Baltic Sea Action Group
All travel service provided by ToolBox Consulting have been certified in accordance with the list of Sustainable Tourism. There is more emphasis on environmental issues, but also the company ownership and status in the local society will be evaluated. ToolBox Consulting provides annual environmental action reports. We have conducted ourselves Good Travel Seal certification in 2024.
Memberships
ToolBox Business Idea is related to the international operations. Memberships in different tourism organizations is only one example on how we feel networks play a very important role for businesses nowadays. We want to be where the development is happening, in the core of actions. By operating in different organizations we are able to get m ore influences, contacts and research inform ation. This immediately benefits our own network.
ToolBox Consulting Ltd. is a member of:
• AFTA Finland, Association of Finnish Travel Industry
• EBRD, European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, consultancy role
• JATA Japan, Japan Association of Travel Agents
• Skål International, one of the biggest and oldest tourism organizations
• Svenska Resebranschföreninge n, Association of Swedish Travel Agencies
• Tourism Researchers Association of Finland
• GBTA, Global Business Travel Association
• VisitFinland Academy, consultancy role
