Påminnen is the southernmost ski slope in Finland and the highest in Uusimaa. As the winter holidays approach, tourism operators are wondering whether local tourism will still be going strong after the koruna.
Finland’s southernmost ski slope, Påminne, is located in Raasepori, Åminnefors, in the western part of Uusimaa.
– In the almost 30 years that this place has been in existence, it has been run on a volunteer basis. Practically all the villagers have taken their shovels and come to work,” says Mäkilä, who started volunteering himself.
– If nothing else, at least there’s a title!
After laughing, Mäkilä hastens to add that the slope profile is also good and praised, because the 20-meter increase in the hill that was once made has been used when designing the slopes.
The holiday week is exciting
The sale of the winter holiday week for schoolchildren in Southern Finland is an important source of income for a small ski slope operator, because skiers usually do not come from very far to Påminne.
– Yes, this one week of skiing holiday is the culmination of the season. That’s when the demand starts to wane towards spring, says Mäkilä.
In addition to the ski slopes, there are several tourist attractions in western Uusimaa near Åminnefors, such as the iron milieus of Billnäs and Fiskar. The corona pandemic increased local tourism and directed holiday flows in the capital region to a considerable extent, for example to Western Uusimaa and Raasepori.
– In addition to individual travelers and despite the holiday week, there have also been orders for meetings and business trips.
Local tourism can hold its own
This year the borders are open to the Alps and the trains in Lapland are almost sold out for winter vacationers from the south.
Påminne’s executive director Antti Mäkilä hopes that customers will still have enough for nearby slopes as well.
– They won’t come, at least I’d like to believe so. After Corona, I can’t predict what this year will be like. Previous seasons have been record-breaking.
The pandemic no longer forces residents of New Zealand to vacation in the nearby region, but other factors that lead to local tourism have taken their place.
– Rising energy prices and inflation in general have made us an increasingly easier option than the Alps or Lapland for many.
According to Mäkilä, the closing of the eastern border and the absence of Russian tourists has not greatly affected the results of the skiing slopes here in Finland.
Bettina Korhonen says the same about Billnäs Ruuk.
– Some individual reservations have now been removed, but the bigger picture has no effect. Most of our customers come from the capital region and Turku, the surrounding areas.