Finnvera’s funding to Lapland almost doubles – not only tourism but also industry in the Meri-Lap region now dares to invest

Lapland’s strong performance is explained by positive growth in all main sectors. Tourism is Lapland’s biggest boomer, but manufacturing is also going strong.

Funding for Lapland from Finnvera, the state’s special financing company, almost doubled last year.

In Lapland, Finnvera’s funding increased by 82% in all main sectors to EUR 36 million. The province is experiencing an economic boom, and tourism is the main source of growth in Lapland.

The value of investments in Lapland partly financed by Finnvera was EUR 74 million, of which EUR 50 million was allocated to the tourism sector.

Finnvera’s funding for industrial companies also increased significantly from the previous year. Access to large projects in Northern Sweden has encouraged the investment of Meri-Lapland industrial companies in particular.

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Rovaniemi-based Tiina Jatkola’s The Magic of the Northern Lights was chosen as the Finnish Travel Poster of the Year

The jury of the international competition selected the ten best posters from nearly 200 images, and the public was then able to vote online for their favourite.

The Finnish poster project and company, Come to Finland, launched the competition in November 2024 to celebrate the new arrival of the tourism poster. The theme was “Northern Lights”.

– For my poster, I wanted to capture the northern lights over a small cottage in the middle of a forest. It is difficult to see the Northern Lights in the city, but in the countryside you can enjoy their enchanting glow. Even rabbits gnawing on frozen branches have stayed to admire them,” Jatkola commented in the press release.

24-year-old Jatkola is studying at the University of Lapland in Rovaniemi. He was born and raised in Savo. Jatkola believes that poster art has a place in the digital future.

– Physical posters and other printed art often feels in some way more concrete and personal than just a picture on the screen. Many want to collect art on the walls of their own home that speaks to them. Juliste voi muuttaa vahvasti tilan ilmettä.

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Kemi launches zoning change for new hotel

This is a hotel project of the Kemi Tourism Company, which is planned to be located in the Lumilinna area, east of the Strawberry Orchard Park.

The City of Kemi has initiated a zoning change that would allow the construction of a new hotel.

This is a hotel project of the Kemi Tourism Company, which is planned to be located in the Lumilinna area, east of the Strawberry Orchard Park.

In the current zoning plan, the planning area is designated as a local recreation area, a block of buildings for tourism, a street square and a water area.

The plan change and evaluation plan has now been made available and can be expressed until March 12.

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Tourism and business companies to be set up in Simo – to boost summer tourism

The companies allow the municipality to apply for various types of project funding. The first project should be underway within six months.

The municipality of Simo sets up new tourism and business companies. The companies are intended to support each other. The associations are being set up because the municipally-owned companies will enable them to apply for various types of project funding, even if they are directly owned by the municipality.

With its own tourism company, the municipality wants to promote tourism and attract tourists from all over the world. The plan is to develop summer tourism in particular. Simo wants to create and strengthen its own brand and bring economic benefits to the area, in cooperation with local businesses, cultural institutions and public authorities.

\- This will result in broader shoulders. The aim is to make the municipality look like a municipality.

Aiming for something permanent

The goal is to get involved in the financial searches that are now opening. It is hoped that projects could start within six months.

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Another centre to be built in Ruka – the Saarua area will grow significantly in the coming years

The first modular hotel will be completed by next Christmas. The entire pedestrian village will take 5-10 years to complete.

In addition to West Ruka, another centre is being built in Saaruaa, East Ruka. Like West Ruka, it is planned to be a so-called car-free pedestrian village.

The first step will be to start construction of the apartment hotel next summer.

– The modular apartments are built almost prefabricated in the factory and are stacked on top of each other in Ruka, so all you have to do is put a roof on top,” Aho says.

The area is also planned to build another hotel, the Safari Center, which provides adventure services, the skating area and four saunas in the Saaruanlampi area.

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The Tower Hotel complaints will soon be resolved in Oulu – see what the rooms in the controversial hotel would look like in this article

The Administrative Court of Northern Finland will rule on the three appeals against the zoning changes during the rest of spring.

The three appeals against the planned tower hotel in the centre of Oulu will be heard by the Administrative Court of Northern Finland in late spring.

The hotel, called Terwa Tower, was supposed to be completed by the time of the Oulu Capital of Culture year 2026, but appeals against the zoning change have delayed the project.

The original plan was to build a complex on the waterfront behind Oulu’s main library, Vänmanninsaari, which would have included an apartment hotel and office space. Terwa Kiinteistökehehitys Oy and Terwa Management Oy, who were originally involved, decided to abandon those plans more than a year ago.

A year ago, a year ago, there was intense debate around the project, for example, in the Oulu City Council. Possible traffic problems have been at the heart of both the idea and the tower hotel ruins the maritime cultural landscape.

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Yle data: it remains almost impossible for a building society to ban Airbnb rentals

Under the regulations being prepared by the Ministry of the Environment, the upper limit for short-term rentals would be up to 180 days per year in an investment dwelling.

The new legislation on short-term rentals is starting to take concrete shape.

It is envisaged that Airbnb-style short-term rentals could be quite free and professional. There are no new ways for property owners to ban short term rentals.

There is also no limit on the number of short-term rental apartments in a single housing association. In principle, every apartment in a block of flats could then be put to hotel-like use.

However, restrictions have been planned for the amount of rental daily. In the plans of the Ministry of the Environment, an investment apartment could be short rent for up to 90 days a year. The municipality should increase the upper limit to 180 days. According to the people of Lapland, short renters would like the highest highest limits.

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Hotel chain praises efforts to eradicate illegal short-stay accommodation in Rovaniemi – plans to expand its own hotel chain

Several major hotel projects are currently being planned for Rovaniemi. Construction of the latest project is expected to start as early as next summer.

Another new hotel is planned for Rovaniemi. Hotel Santa Claus Oy is expanding its hotel in the centre of Rovaniemi. The hotel is to be expanded on an adjacent plot of land with a separate extension worth around €20 million. Planning is already underway and construction is due to start next summer. The hotel extension is expected to be completed by the winter season 2026-2027.

New hotels are also planned in and around the city centre.

The 18-storey tower hotel planned by Arina for the city centre is currently awaiting a ruling from the Administrative Court on the appeals against the zoning change. Three appeals against the zoning plan allowing the tower hotel have been lodged by a group of neighbourhood hotels, a residents’ association in the city centre and a private individual.

In turn, the Lapland Hotels hotel is planned for Valionranta near the city center. The complex includes three apartment blocks and a congress hotel about 300 rooms, which will also have a wellness spa. In addition, two hotels are planned for Ounasvaara Golf Course.

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When a tourist’s flight is delayed, it is seen as a case in the Lapland District Court

Claims for a few hundred euros in aviation disputes are a spike in district court case statistics.

– The number is still small, but as a single type of story it is reasonably large,” says Kaski.

Small amounts involved

If your flight is delayed, you can claim compensation under EU law.

If, for one reason or another, the airline refuses to pay compensation, you can take the matter to court. Traditionally, such disputes have been settled in Finland by the Consumer Disputes Board.

However, in recent years, several law firms have been launched in Finland, which focus specifically on advancing flight compensation applications – even to court.

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Plane from Iceland to Helsinki had to change direction – ended up in Tallinn

The aircraft hooked north of Helsinki towards Porvoo and continued its journey to the Gulf of Finland.

Bad weather conditions and equipment failure forced an aircraft travelling from Iceland to Finland to change its route on Monday.

Icelandair flight FI342 took off from Keflavík airport early Monday morning. Its destination was Helsinki-Vantaa airport, but the plane ended up in the Estonian capital Tallinn.

According to Flightradar, which monitors air traffic, the plane hooked up at noon north of Järvenpää in Porvoo and continued its journey to the Gulf of Finland. The aircraft made a few turns over the sea and then headed towards Tallinn.

The Icelandair airline tells Yle that the machine could not land at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport because of poor visibility.

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