The figures are more or less at the same level as before the interest rate years. Swedish tourists have returned to Ostrobothnia, and business travel is on the increase.
Tourism in Ostrobothnia has recovered after the interest rate hike, but last year was slightly below the 2019 figures.
Accommodation fell by four percentage points and restaurant services by two percentage points.
However, the result can be considered good, considering that in January and February last year, tight interest rate restrictions were still in place.
At the moment, the tourism and restaurant industry is burdened by a huge increase in costs. For example, the wholesale prices of food in restaurants rose by more than a fifth in a year.
According to the industry release, the Christmas season in 2022 was very good.
The sales at the beginning of the year have also been better than expected, especially when it is taken into account that, according to Statistics Finland, consumer confidence in the economy is low and the sharply increased cost level is disciplining consumers’ finances.
Business travel has not yet returned to the pre-corona level, but international business travel in particular is growing this year.
Swedish tourists have returned to Ostrobothnia, as the number of overnight stays by Swedes increased by almost 400 percent last year compared to 2021.