Tourism

The total number of passengers at Finnish airports last year was just over 15.5 million. The year before the koruna, the figure was close to 30 million.

Airport passenger numbers have recovered from the years of high interest rates, but they are still well behind the pre-crisis period.

The total number of passengers at all Finnish airports was just over 15.5 million last year, and in 2019 the figure was close to 26.3 million. However, there has been a significant year-on-year increase. Passenger numbers include both scheduled and charter passengers.

For example, the number of passengers on flights from Oulu airport in 2022 was almost 640 000, compared to just over 300 000 in 2021.

Helsinki–Vantaa airport had the most passengers last year, the number was almost 13 million. The reading for 2019 was almost ten million more, almost 22 million.

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Airport passenger numbers recover from the boom years, but still some way from the peak yearsRead More »

The hike starts from Valtimo at Puukari Stop and ends via Laitalan Lomien to Pihjalapuu Inn in Salmenkylä, Nurmes.

The hike starts from Valtimo at Puukari Stop and ends via Laitalan Lomien to the Pihlajapuu Inn in Salmenkyylä, Nurmes.

Daily distances are 20-30 kilometres. In winter you can ski, in summer you can cycle or paddle. The trips are organised by Äksyt Ämmät, a travel agency and programme service provider based in North Karelia.

La Gomera in the Canary Islands has been chosen by travel writers as the destination of the year. The second smallest island in the Canary Islands is known for its national park and numerous hiking trails.

The awards were handed out at the Helsinki Travel Fair on Thursday.

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Guild of Tourism Journalists: the Inn to Inn tour package in Nurmes is the Tourist Destination of the Year in FinlandRead More »

The award-winning regions have experienced strong growth in tourist numbers, with tourists visiting all year round. Kolari was awarded the title of Tourist Region of the Year thanks to the increase in the length of stay of tourists.

In Finland, the Inari-Saariselkä tourist region was chosen as the Tourist Region of the Year with 86.1 points. Kemi came second with 81.2 points and Sodankylä came third with 79 points. The maximum score was 100.

In the comparison, the regions were ranked according to the following criteria:

1\) Evolution of the number of guests arriving at registered accommodation establishments 2\) Evolution of the length of stay of tourists 3\) Even distribution of the number of nights spent by holidaymakers in different months 4\) Accommodation sales per capita.

Based on a comparison, the recognition awarded for the fifth time was awarded by the Finnish tourism industry association SMAL, the Finnish Association of Tourism Organizations SUOMA ry and the Research and Analysis Center TAK Research.

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Inari-Saariselkä region chosen as tourist area of the year – Kemi came second and Sodankylä thirdRead More »

The number of air passengers rose past the time before interest rate restrictions. Increased outbound travel explains the record passenger numbers.

A record number of passengers flew through Kuusamo Airport last year.

In 2022, Kuusamo Airport was the only airport in Finland to beat its previous record. In 2022, 117,104 passengers passed through Kuusamo Airport. The previous record was set in 2019, when 114 003 passengers passed through Kuusamo Airport.

Most of the growth was due to international air passengers. This is the result of cooperation between international tour operators to develop charter flights and Lufthansa’s scheduled flights.

– Domestic tourism is currently not at a record pace. Of course, domestic customers are still the largest group of tourists in Ruka-Kuusamo, and most of them arrive in the area by car, says Lindfors.

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Kuusamo Airport set a new passenger record – the number of passengers exceeded the previous record set before the Crown eraRead More »

According to the central warehouse, sales for the winter season have started well. The busiest weeks of the winter are traditionally booked after Christmas.

The Tahko Central Booking Office has cautiously optimistic expectations for the spring-winter season. The booking situation looks good at the moment.

The beginning of the year is important for accommodation sales in the Tahko area. The winter season traditionally sells the most after Christmas.

According to Vihma, marketing and communication in the area have been successful, as Tahko has become the second most searched ski resort in Finland.

– It means that Kuopio–Tahko Markkinointi has done a good job and found the right channels to tell people about us.

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The Tahko tourist area has optimistic expectations for the spring seasonRead More »

Kainuu will participate in the trade fair starting today at the joint Arctic Lakeland Kainuu booth. At the fair, the cultural offerings of the province are particularly emphasized.

Kainuu will especially present its cultural offering at the Helsinki Travel Fair, which starts today. Northern Europe’s largest tourism event will take place on 19-21 2023 after a three-year hiatus.

Kainuu will participate in the trade fair with the joint Arctic Lakeland Kainuu stand. There are actors from Kuhmo’s chamber music to Puolanga’s pessimists. The program of next summer’s Kajaani Poetry Week will also be announced at the fair.

The connection to Kainuu is being told, sales meetings with international tour operators have been arranged for the fair, and guests are also expected to get to know the companies in Kainuu.

The importance of tourism to the regional economy of Kainuu is the third largest in Finland after Åland and Lapland. For example, last year’s accommodation sales in Kainuu by November were more than 55 million euros.

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Kainuu’s cultural offering on display at the Helsinki Travel Fair – participants from Kuhmo’s chamber music to Puolanga’s pessimistsRead More »

The Mattsson family moved to Sicily, but the school world proved to be a disappointment. The critical letter and experiences of the family’s mother have been the talk of the town in Italy.

The Mattsson family moved to Syracuse on the east coast of Sicily, attracted by the climate and culture. However, the school world was a disappointment for the family.

Aggressive behaviour by teachers and noisy classes

The family, from Porvoo and Åland, moved to Sicily in September 2022. Mattsson works as a visual artist and his wife is in the IT sector. The family has four children.

Just a couple of months after their move, the family decided to pack up and leave Sicily. The reason for the move was the children’s school, which did not meet the family’s expectations.

Mattsson noticed that his elementary school-aged child was always hyperactive after the school day.

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A Finnish mother disappointed with the Italian school system and now her criticism is attracting attention in the US: “TV channels are calling me”Read More »

Half past six is looking for the town, village, parish or locality with the best winter in Finland.

Finland is full of charming summer cities, but now it’s time to find out where the best winter city is! And despite the name of the competition, it doesn’t even have to be a city.

Where can you find the tallest kinks, the hottest winter trends, the longest downhill runs? Where are the best winter events or activities to be experienced? Where can you have fun in the sleet?

This is the second edition of the Winter City competition. Last year’s final three were Kemijärvi, Savitaipale and Vihti, where Half Seven will travel to broadcast live on Valentine’s Day 14 February 2023.

Take part in the competition and reveal to us the best winter city in Finland for the year 2023!

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Is where you live the best place to spend the winter? Half past six again awards the most interesting winter town!Read More »

The tourist crowds have almost killed authentic Venetian life. We met locals who want to save their hometown.

– Venice should be made a luxury product. Limit the number of visitors and attract well-off elites and cultural people who also want to give something to the city, is one opinion in a heated debate in a Venetian café.

It is located next to the city’s most iconic site, St Mark’s Square. A dissenting opinion can be heard behind the bar.

Tourism has made Venice an unsustainable place for locals to live. Housing and food costs many times more than in nearby areas.

The population of the center of Venice has fallen to less than 50,000, but there are around 20 million tourists every year.

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If you’re a Saite tourist, you’re no longer welcome in Venice – the city introduces the first ticket in the worldRead More »

The municipality in northern Sweden is aiming to become the world’s leading centre for space tourism in the future.

Europe’s first space centre to launch satellites and, in the future, perhaps tourists into space, will be inaugurated today, Friday, in Kiiruna, Sweden.

The Space Centre is located about 140 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. Its development began in 2005 with the aim of building a world-class centre for future space tourism.

In 2007, Virgin Galactic, a space tourism company, and Spaceport Sweden, the parent company of the Kiiruna centre, signed an agreement to work together to build a new launch centre.

Large-scale space tourism is just beginning

In addition to tourism, the now inaugurated space center is to serve as a launching and operating point for many space-related services, Spaceport Sweden informs on its website.

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A space centre is inaugurated in Kiiruna, Sweden – watch the opening ceremony live at 11.25Read More »