The Yyteri Visitor Center creates new opportunities for users of the area and extends the season

The Yyteri general plan aims to enhance the overall appearance, attractiveness, recognizability, and practical functionality of the area, as well as create new opportunities for Yyteri users and improve conditions for businesses. Completed in 2019, the general plan highlighted the fragmented nature of the current built environment and the unclear relationship of Yyteri Square’s services to the overall area.

The plan has now been realized: Upon arriving at Yyteri Square, visitors will first see the new Yyteri Visitor Center. The center enhances opportunities for year-round tourism growth in the area and serves as an example for future private investments and commercial activities.

– In 2020, the city decided to invest in a visitor center to welcome visitors to Yyteri. The general plan also describes two other similarly styled buildings aimed at future private investments and more commercial operations. These could provide new services and experiences for the area. Together, these three buildings will form a seamless whole, says Lauri Kilkku, Director of Economic Development and Environment, who has been involved in developing Yyteri from the outset.

The new Yyteri Visitor Center tells the story of the area’s unique nature. The area’s sustainability efforts have already been recognized with a Blue Flag certification, and there is also a goal to increase environmental awareness throughout the maritime area of Pori.

– The unique nature of Yyteri and the Gulf of Bothnia has been integrated into the visitor center through various means. In addition to tourist information and a shop, the building features an outdoor auditorium and year-round accessible restrooms. The center can serve as a meeting place, a starting point for various excursions, and an inspiration for self-guided activities, explains specialist Tove Vesterbacka.

The nature elements of the visitor center have been designed in collaboration with Intro Design, specializing in exhibition design and communication, Metsähallitus, and Luontotalo Arkki. The aim is to provide information about Yyteri’s most delicate natural elements, such as sand dunes, and to increase awareness of the Selkämeri National Park.

– We want to increase Yyteri’s visibility not only for its stunning sandy beach but also as a broader nature destination. In the initial phase, exhibition elements will be placed indoors, but in the future, elements may also be expanded outdoors, Vesterbacka explains.

The shop side is run by a familiar entrepreneur

The Yyteri Visitor Center will also feature a shop, the Yyteri Shop, managed by a familiar entrepreneur from Kirjurinluoto’s Viksu café. It will offer snacks to take along, supplies for beachgoers, and branded products from Pori and Yyteri.

– The first summer will surely be a period of experimentation and learning, and the product range will evolve over time. Initially, the shop will offer both savory and sweet snacks for the beach, as well as essentials like sunscreen and beach toys, entrepreneur Kati Paltanen explains.

The grand opening of the Yyteri Visitor Center will take place on July 1st starting at 10 AM, featuring ceremonies and activities throughout the day. During the summer months of July and August, the center will be open daily from 10 AM to 8 PM. Starting in September, it will open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM to 5 PM. During autumn break weeks 42 and 43, opening hours will extend to daily from 11 AM to 5 PM. The tourism information point at the Yyteri Visitor Center is part of an expanded network of tourist information services in Pori, which also includes two other locations: Satakunta Museum and Porin Leijona.

Below you can find pictures of the soon-to-be-completed visitor center: