New Trends from Visit Ambassadors

Visit ambassadors are messengers of a positive Äänekoski. There are currently eight ambassadors, and they share their own perspectives on Äänekoski on Visit Äänekoski's social media channels. The newest ambassadors are Outi Pantsar, who serves as a cultural ambassador, and Iida Piilonen, who shares, among other things, about hobbies for families with children and building a house in Äänekoski. Those who started earlier as Visit ambassadors are Teemu Hakalax, Miia Lomperi, Olga Kolari, Ella Tuovinen, Simo Terävä and Mira Ekroos. Read below the profiles of the new Visit ambassadors and greetings from those who have already served as ambassadors!

Who are they?

Iida Piilonen

Hi. I'm Iida, 35. We have 3 teenage children. We live in Äänekoski, in the middle of Finland.  This spring I graduated as a midwife. Previously, I worked at a training company as a training manager. I haven't regretted the career change. I love working with families.

We currently live in a detached house from the 1970s in Äänekoski, which we renovated inside and out when we moved in 14 years ago, and there has still been plenty to fix since then.  We are currently building a new house on the shore of Lake Kuhnamonjärvi. Working with the City of Äänekoski has been seamless and easy. You can find me on social media @kota_kukkulalla.

It has always been important to me that children have hobbies. I would like to highlight, for example, Äänekoski's wide range of activities and simply everyday life in Äänekoski.

Outi Pantsar

I'm Outi Pantsar, a new Visit Äänekoski cultural ambassador.

I'm originally from the north, but I've lived in Äänekoski for seven years now.

I'm best known as the founder of Äänekoski's Art Park. In addition to the Art Park, I enjoy art and culture in many forms, from live gigs and theatre to exhibitions.

I love colors, wool sweaters, good tea, and the adventure of searching for geocaches. You can find me on Instagram @outimaar.

A couple of summer tips: the Ääniä Festival's Art Park concerts and the Äänekoski Pride event

Mira Ekroos

Green thumb from Äänekoski here, hi! When spring arrives, my fingers go straight into the soil and the garden of our old farm starts buzzing—we're off to a great start.

A couple of dogs run around nearby, one happily digging up a freshly planted flowerbed...

We spend a lot of time in the forest and go on nature trips now and then. One of our favorite nearby outing spots in Äänekoski is Kapeenkoski—it's easy to get to and easy to get around there. Bring snacks or just go listen to the rapids and unwind, at any time of year.

I also have a background in disc golf, both as a competitor and as an instructor. On the @pikkumirkkuli account you'll find all things colorful, black and white, and of course flowers. 

Simo Terävä

Hi! I'm Simo Terävä and I'm from Äänekoski! I'm studying in Rovaniemi for my third year to become a forest engineer! I compete in mountain biking at the national level!

On my social media platforms I showcase Äänekoski's top cycling terrain from paved roads to trails! I also post content about other leisure spots in Äänekoski—for example disc golf courses, stand-up paddleboarding, and walking the dog! You can find me on Instagram under the handle @simoterava! I will be updating Instagram from Äänekoski whenever I'm there visiting! So quite often. :)

Ella Tuovinen

On Ella's account you'll spot skiing, orienteering, running and plenty of other active pursuits. You can follow what Ella's up to on Instagram @tuovisella.

Ella's tip for summer: the wonderful nature trails in Äänekoski. You don't need to go far from the center to see beautiful scenery and feel at peace.

Psst.. Remember to follow our other ambassadors too: @tempepoika, @sonicpoetry_finland and @miialom.

How does Visit Äänekoski's visibility work?

As the regional marketing organization for tourism, Visit Äänekoski is responsible for coordinating and implementing joint marketing in the area, creating and developing content for Visit Äänekoski's digital channels, printed materials, campaigns, fairs, and media relations. At the core of Visit Äänekoski are the area's nature sites and hiking destinations, but it also broadly showcases events, culture, and local businesses. Visit Äänekoski has a website at www.visitaanekoski.fi, which includes a blog with current posts. In addition, Visit Äänekoski is active on Facebook and Instagram.

On our Facebook page we share articles and blog posts that are produced by Visit ambassadors, the tourism businesses themselves, visitors, and our tourism and marketing specialist. We also post current events, tips on what to do, and introductions to the area's tourism services. If you would like to share a tip about your own event or activity for our page, contact us at matkailu@aanekoski.fi or tag @visit_aanekoski in your post.

On Visit Äänekoski's Instagram account we can update and repost photo material related to tourism in the Jyväskylä region. By using the hashtags #visitäänekoski, #visitaanekoski and #hiddenaanekoski you give us permission to reshare your photo. We update Visit Äänekoski's Stories daily and actively share posts that have tagged us there. Especially in Stories, please use @visit_aanekoski so we get notified of the post and resharing it is easier.