Via Nord.ai
Event & Travel Specialist since 1986.
Unique Golf Experiences Worldwide
Via Nord.
Personal grip to golf travel & events since 1986
Markku “Luigi” Nord is one of the pioneers in Finnish golf travel industry. For decades, he has planned and arranged trips to the world’s best golf destinations as well as golf-related theme events. Nowadays he organizes them through his “Via Nord” company.
Via Nord was founded for the need of personal, tailored services. With us the customer is always in the centre. That’s why quality, service and experience are natural for us – because we want to give our customers the best they can get. The customers have a direct connection to us and we have a direct connection to our partners. We know exactly what we’re offering. And you’ll always know that you can count on what you’re receiving. Whether it is a golf event, golf rounds played during a trip, the hotel, carefully chosen restaurants, food and wines – the athmosphere. The whole package is always tailored for your needs.
Our trips are primarily group trips with a theme and have a high-class, interesting and polished content. The end goal is that the customer always gets a bit more than could have been expected. The same goes with events organized in our home country. “I want to create unique golf events and amazing experiences that people and companies feel and remember”, Luigi sums up about his mission.
LUIGI´S JOURNEY IN A NUTSHELL
“My travel career started with Finnmatkat-Finntours (current TUI) in December 1984 as a ski guide. The destination of my first season was Canazei-Campitello in the Italian Dolomites. From those times came the nickname Luigi and it has sticked with me ever since. Over six years abroad in various Finnmatkat destinations, winters as a destination manager in the alps and summers mainly in Riccione Italy. This time period (Finnmatkat Golf was started year 1986) also includes the golfguide jobs in Algarves Vilamoura and Tenerifes Golf del Sur.
Years 1990-1999 went by rapidly in the main office of Finnmatkat in Helsinki – my job description included sales of group trips, retail for travel agencies around Finland, production of active holidays and responsibility of the golf travel product. From year 1995 onwards Finnmatkat Golf started the co-operation with the advertising agency Resepti. Owners behind the company were Lassi and Popo Tilander. In addition we organized many hugely popular Classic -Golfweeks with Lassi from the early years of 90s. When our collaboration tightened I became a partner (year 2000) and we started the golf tour operating business with the name Golfresepti Travel.
Through the years travel and golf has become a way of living. It has given me a lot – most valuable things for sure are numerous friendships throughout the years and all over the world. Job has always been done through joy, with a big heart and with respect. Actually for over 30 years and the journey continues.”
MARKKU ”LUIGI” NORD
- In the heart of Finnish Golf Tourism since 1986
- Product Manager in Finnmatkat-Finntours (TUI)
- Founder of Golfresepti Travel
- Founder of Via Nord 2018-
- Head of Golf Travel, Golfpiste 2021-
- Board member of the Association of Finnish Travel Industry (Partner Committee)
HONORARY AWARDS
- Twice Finland´s Best Outbound Golf Tour Operator 2014 and 2015 (World Golf Travel Awards)
- Best Golf Event Organizer Award 2013 (Finnish Golf Union Golf Gala)
- Best Golf PR Award 2015 (Finnish Golf Union Golf Gala)
- IAGTO Outstanding Service Award winner 2021 (IAGTO Awards)
- Lifetime Achievement Award 2023 (Finnish Golf Union Golf Gala)
Service-oriented and inspiring travel industry and event organization professional who has brought joy and experiences to Finnish golfers for over 30 years.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is a special award given every few years for long-term and meaningful contributions to golf. The Golf Union Gala’s Lifetime Achievement award has previously been awarded to nine people.
VIA NORD
- IAGTO member (The Global Golf Tourism Organization)
- IGTWA member (International Golf Travel Writers Association)
- SMAL member (The Association of Finnish Travel Industry)
- Via Nord produces and executes high-class golf trips in collaboration with chosen partners
- Travel Blogs
- Enhances the golf travel culture both abroad and in Finland (Suomi Golf)
GOLFPISTE INVITES MARKKU ”LUIGI” NORD AS HEAD OF GOLF TRAVEL
Golfpiste, the leading golf media house in Finland, has strengthened its organization by inviting the legendary golf travel professional Markku Nord to join the Golfpiste team.
Mr. Nord – or as everyone calls him, “Luigi” – will be responsible for helping our travel industry customers abroad reach the Finnish golfers effectively through the Golfpiste media & event platform and thus creating relevant, multi-channel “rendezvous” opportunities for tourism organizations, resorts, golf courses and other travel industry players.
“I’m extremely happy that we get to welcome Luigi to the Golfpiste team”, says Golfpiste’s Business Director Mr. Sami Markkanen.
“Luigi has extensive experience in golf travel industry and naturally a huge network and will therefore be a perfect resource for Golfpiste in our goal to support the Finnish golfers in their golf travel desires and to promote golf travel in general”, Mr. Markkanen continues.
“Golfpiste is an established and well-known player in many golf related fields, such as the number one golf media and the biggest golf event organizer in Finland. They simply have a pioneering role and status in the Finnish golf industry. Our combined experience gained from decades of working with domestic and foreign contacts is beyond compare. It’s great to link this connection and I´m looking forward to start a fruitful collaboration,” is how Luigi sums up his future plans.
Mr. Nord’s responsibilities involve all marketing and sales activities with golf travel industry parties abroad and the overall development of Golfpiste’s travel related media businesses.
Golfpiste is currently conducting an extensive golf travel survey among Finnish golfers. The survey results, once published, will be highly beneficial to our international customers in their quest to address and entice the growing golf population in Finland.
Golf in Finland has been booming over the past two years. Here are some key figures from Finnish Golf:
- registered golfers 157.175, two-year growth +12,5%
- number of green cards conducted up by +13% from 2020
- 45.000 new or returning players to the sport in the last two years
- a total of 7,7 million played rounds in 2020 & 2021, up by approx. +38%
There is huge demand for golf travel among the Finnish golfers as the pandemic hopefully finally eases up.
We are ready to help you in any way possible with your marketing needs. Just send an email to Luigi and we’ll go on from there.
Additional information:
Mr. Sami Markkanen, Business Director, Otavamedia (Golfpiste)
+358 40 586 8872 / sami.markkanen@golfpiste.com
Mr. Markku Nord, Head of Golf Travel, Golfpiste
+358 400 188 008 / markku.nord@golfpiste.com
About Golfpiste
Golfpiste is a part of Otavamedia Ltd, one of the biggest media companies in Finland. Otavamedia is a part of the family owned Otava Ltd, one of the biggest book publishers in Finland. Golfpiste publishes the Finnish Golf Union’s official magazine “Golflehti”, runs the biggest golf online media platform Golfpiste.com and creates and operates multiple national golf event series across the nation. Golfpiste also operates and develops the golfers benefit card “Golfpiste Jäsenkortti” and provides the Finnish golf courses with versatile digital services.
