Andinoreisen visit 14-16 May
Summary
We welcomed Rolf Häuptli and his wife Yvonne in fantastic sunny and warm weather. Rolf is owner of Andinoreisen, our new business partner and travel agency from Switzerland. During their 14-16 May visit, they visited six FIMS member destinations: Sundholmen Island, Wildlife Sweden, Riverwild Fishing & Lodgings, Villa Solsidan, Lillbo and Cottage in Hälsingland. The aim was for Andineoreisen and these FIMS destinations to meet and discuss opportunities to sell fishing trips to Hälsingland.
14/5, Sundholmen Island, Ljusdal municipality
We met in Ljusdal around lunchtime to continue our journey to Sundholmen Island, the first of the FIMS member destinations. We were met by Gunnar Eriksson, who owns Sundholmen and were served coffee on Gunnar’s porch with a great view of Storsjön (Great Lake).
– Out there, says Gunnar pointing out to the lake, that’s where my island Sundholmen is. I thought we would go out there in a little while.
-Nice, say Rolf and Yvonne, we’re looking forward to it.
Gunnar tells a little about Sundholmen and shows a map of Storsjön. Rolf is also given a brochure with the pricelist for the destination as well as some fishing pictures, pictures from the island and of the rental boats.
We then go down to the lake and jump into Gunnar’s boat. We had very nice boat trip across the mirror-blue lake.
-Here you really must be alone, says Gunnar as we go ashore on the island of Sundholmen, an island Gunnar owns with its own accommodation, bathing place and a Finnish sauna.
Both Rolf and Yvonne like the place. It shows.
-Awesome, we hear them say, awesome!
-The water is very high right now due to the snow melt, explains Gunnar. But it has begun to go down slightly.
-This will be easy to sell, says Rolf. He reveals that they currently don’t have such experiences to sell where you live on an island. So it will be unique, which is great.
Before we return to the mainland, Gunnar takes us on a guided tour of the lake. He shows several interesting fishing spots, wind protected sheltered coves with shallow waters, reed beds and islands. Storsjön has an abundant stock of pike and perch, as well as brown trout.
It was a great afternoon and at 5 o’clock we leave Sundholmen and head to the next destination. To Wildlife Sweden, about an hour’s drive away.
Wildlife Sweden, Ljusdal municipality
We are met by Marco Hassoldt, owner of Wildlife Sweden. We are served a fantastic and much needed dinner. The dish is called “steak hachè” – amazingly good!
Here, Rolf and Yvonne stay in one of the self-catering apartments that Wildlife Sweden owns and rents out to guests. At the resort, breakfast, lunch and dinner is available for those who wish.
After breakfast on Tuesday, 15 May, Marco takes Rolf and Yvonne on a guided tour around the entire facility. Wildlife Sweden offers both pike and perch fishing from boats in Laforssjön (Lafors Lake) and in Ängratörn. Fly fishing for grayling and trout in Ängraån (Ängra River), the Ljusnan River and in Gommorstjärn (Gommor lake). Rolf is impressed and delighted by this facility as well. It will be easy to sell, he says. Our customers are looking for fly fishing, and accessibility to Hälsingland is easier than up to Norrland. Only a direct flight to Arlanda, and a 2-3 hour car rental drive – simple and smooth, he explains.
15/5, Riverwild Fishing & Lodgings, Ljusdal municipality
At 13.00 I meet Rolf and Yvonne at the next FIMS destination, Riverwild Fishing & Lodgings. The destination is located approximately 30 minutes south of Wildlife Sweden and is beautifully located beside the Ljusnan River. Riverwild offers fly fishing for grayling and trout. A facility with caravan parking, small cottages and a sauna. The sauna is located beside the Ljusnan River and provides accommodation. They have plans to develop the sauna building to provide a flushing toilet and a shower. In addition, the next-door timber cottage by the sauna is to become accommodation. The sauna will be relocated in a separate building.
-My plan is to rebuild this autumn, says Mikael Frisk.
-That sounds really good, says Rolf. If you do, this will be even more interesting for us. 99% of our customers want both toilet and shower facilities, ideally with their own room. After a pleasant guided tour of Riverwild, it’s time to continue to the next destination, Villa Solsidan.
Villa Solsidan, Bollnäs municipality
Next stop is Villa Solsiden in Arbrå, Bollnäs municipality. Anders Nordlund, owner of Villa Solsiden comes to meet us. Rolf has been here on an earlier visit and he now wanted to see the two new accommodation units that Anders has almost completed. Self-catering accommodation right next to Orsjön (Or Lake) / Kyrksjön (Kyrk Lake). Anders shows us around and tells us that it is opening within a few weeks. Anders has also bought more new boats and will have five of the same kind of boat.
-There are only benefits with having exactly the same boats, says Anders. Among other things, we avoid arguments between guests about who has which boat.
Rolf takes some pictures of the accommodation and is very pleased with what Anders has achieved. With the new accommodation and more boats, Anders can now accommodate larger groups of guests and also have more groups staying at the same time.
When we are ready, we thank our guests and move on to the next destination – Lillbo.
Lillbo, Ovanåker municipality
Lillbo is located by Lake Långrösten in Ovanåkers municipality and is an idyllic setting in the countryside. When we arrive, we are welcomed by FIMS guide Björn Backeby. Björn shows us around and tells us about fishing in the lake where there are pike, pike-perch and perch. Björn also has a map of the lake to show us.
-It’s a long-narrow lake with very few fishing groups and a wide variety of depths. The average weight of pike-perch is around 1.5 kg, which is fantastic. There are also plenty of large perch in the lake.The destination has two brand new boats and there is a cosy four bed cottage. We always provide an induction of the facilities. Right now we have our first fishing guests here. We have two recreational fishermen from Poland, says Björn.
Before we leave, Björn gives Lillbo’s price list to Rolf for accommodation, boat rental, fishing licenses, introduction guided tours and more. Rolf takes some pictures of the boat and the accommodation and the surrounding environment.
-This destination also gives me a lovely feeling, and will be easy to sell, says Rolf.
We thank our hosts and it is now time to visit the final FIMS destination on this trip, Cottage in Hälsingland. We will have dinner and an overnight stay. We thank Björn for the nice reception and continue our journey.
Cottage in Hälsingland, Bollnäs municipality
When we arrive at Freluga Golf & River Lodge, we meet Rolf Lysell. Rolf Lysell owns Cottage in Hälsingland and Freluga Golf & River Lodge, which is waterfront accommodation that is part of Cottage in Hälsingland. Rolf Lyseel shows us around the exclusive accommodation, which lies right by Voxsjön (Vox lake). Voxsjön has perch, pike and even pike-perch.
-Amazingly beautiful, says Rolf. It will also be easy to sell. I saw this accommodation when I visited here in November, but to see it now in the light season gives a nice feeling.
We have a great dinner together that Rolf prepared for us – roast elk with potato gratin. Then we have an evaluation of our entire trip out in the garden with coffee and ice cream!
Rolf and Yvonne will stay in the lodge overnight and say that this intense journey has been fantastic and very rewarding. It will be easy to sell all these destinations and we now have more destinations to work with. This is fantastic! Rolf says he is impressed that everything is ready to go when he arrives at a FIMS destination – and that they basically just need to start selling. I hardly have any questions, which he says is very unusual. He mentions that he typically has a lot of questions when he visits other facilities in southern and northern Sweden or abroad. There are usually many questions and uncertainties to be sorted out. I am really impressed with your work here and your cooperation.
We wish you a nice journey home and we’ll be back soon.
By Stefan, Project Manager of FIMS.
Gallery from this studytrip
