Tourism

This recognition could help the municipality in its bid for the Games. Sotkamo is now also part of the network, which is expected to bring further benefits. A similar title has previously been awarded to the municipality of Suomussalmi.

The municipality of Sotkamo has been selected as the European City of Sport 2023. ACES Europe, which made the selection, justifies its choice by the fact that sport in Sotkamo is an element of health promotion, integration and education.

Kilpeläinen is delighted with the recognition of the ACES EUROPE cooperation. Kilpeläinen says that the recognition will be included in Sotkamo, for example, in applications for the race.

Future events could include, for example, the EYOF summer games.

This year, the municipality is hosting the EYOF competitions. Kilpeläinen says that they left around 2.5 million euros in the area through accommodation and meals alone.

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Sotkamo plans to use the Sport City of the Year in a number of waysRead More »

The city of Pieksämäki has terminated the land lease contract of the hotel due to unpaid rents. It is likely that the city will be responsible for the demolition work and the costs incurred.

When Savonsolmu opened its doors in 1976, it was the finest hotel in Pieksämäki, and also the only one. Over the years, Savonsolmu grew into a legendary entertainment centre with a 70s-inspired interior that left no one cold. Pieksämäkians have many fond memories of the hotel.

Brandt says that over the years he has found life partners in Savonsolmu while dancing.

– It was a really good place to visit. There were quizzes and it was a good place to eat, among other things.

Both Rintanen and Brandt have watched the fate of the hotel located in the best location in the city with sorrow.

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Savonsolmu was a hotel where people found life partners at the disco and which charmed with its 70s interior – now the people of Pieksämäki mourn its fateRead More »

Luxury tourism is moving into a new era, where instead of luxury suites, people are looking to Lapland for tailor-made experiences of wellbeing and experiences of living.

On the shores of Lake Inari is a unique log cabin that has been the dream come true for many who have travelled to Lapland. It is telling that all the visitors have been foreigners, very well-off, wealthy people who have seen almost everything.

– For the comfort and privacy of our clients, we want to keep the property hidden from others and this is not a public sale.

In Lapland luxury tourism, the destinations are far from busy and the services are tailored to the wishes of the guests.- This kind of holiday is especially suitable for a busy business person who just needs to arrive with family and friends. Everything is thought out down to the last detail.

A hidden inn where few Finnish customers have ever been

Finns have also been interested in the destination, but for Finns, price is a much more significant factor when planning a vacation than for many others. As a result, the contacts are usually cut off at the price of the service.

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Lapland’s luxury tourism destinations are hidden in the wilderness – here’s what the wealthy hideaway on the shores of Lake Inari looks likeRead More »

The regional marketing company aims to quintuple the number of overnight stays by foreign tourists in Pohjois-Savo by the end of the decade.

The number of international tourists in North Savo has not developed as favourably as in other tourist areas in Finland. Foreigners account for only about 10% of tourists in the province, and the number of Russian tourists is unlikely to return to pre-Korona and pre-Russian war levels for a decade.

Tourism businesses are now looking to Central Europe, and initially to German-speaking countries in particular. Their own resources alone are not enough to launch international marketing and relationship-building activities. That is why a North Savo Tourism Ltd is being set up, with both companies and municipalities in the region as shareholders.

More than a hundred tourism companies have expressed their willingness to participate in further negotiations on the new company. These include Kuopio-Tahko Markkinointi Oy, Osuuskauppa Peeässä, Puijo Peak Oy, Skione Group Oy and Tahkocom Oy. In addition, 16 municipalities in North Savo had decided by mid-September to participate in further negotiations. None of the municipalities has opposed the project.

– Tourism services are the same services that also attract us residents, i.e. they are also leisure services for our residents.

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North Savo wants a new tourism marketing company – to raise the profile of the region to the level of LaplandRead More »

A pilot run of the steam train, powered by the old Ukko-Pekka locomotive, will be made as early as the beginning of December. The aim is to turn the steam train trip to the western border into a year-round tourist product.

A tourist service is being set up at the national border in Lapland, where tourists can reach their destination by Ukko-Pekka locomotive.

The first journey of the old steam-powered train will run from Kemi to Pello on 4 December. The steam train is also scheduled to visit Haparanda in Sweden. The train will be in Pello at noon and the return journey to Kemi will start around 2 pm.

This pilot trip has a Christmas theme, but the plan is to make train journeys a year-round tourist product for different seasons of the year. Themes could include things like the Northern Lights, raisins and the nightless night.

The project is being implemented by the Meri-Lap travel agency and the Kouvola-based steam train owner Höyryjunamatkat1009 oy. The municipalities of Meri-Lap and the western border also participate with a small contribution.

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Finland will soon be able to take a steam train to Sweden – Ukko-Pekka will pull tourists to Western LaplandRead More »

Among the 30 highest earners in Lapland, there are hardly any tourism entrepreneurs. Pertti Yliniemi, also known as the tourism emperor, and Seppo Aho of Sava-Group can be found on the list.

According to Gröhn, last year was marked by the uncertainty caused by the corona virus, which reduced income. The result was satisfactory.

According to Gröhn, the current winter season looks completely different.

– The reservation situation for the winter season is the best that has ever been seen. A very good winter is expected.

Gröhn estimates that the world has a lot of pent-up need to travel. Guests are coming from Europe, India and South Asia.

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Multi-entrepreneur Pertti Yliniemi is also among those who have made money in Lapland’s tourism – the tourism industry is rising little by little after the coronaRead More »

The Lapland border guard expects the pace to pick up towards December, as it is usually the busiest travel month.

The winter season of Lapland’s air traffic has started briskly. According to Lapland’s border guard, it conducted a total of more than 1,870 external border traffic checks during the first week.

Inspections started in Rovaniemi at the end of October. Already in the first two days, more than 700 inspections were carried out. According to the Lapland border guard, there were citizens of 38 different countries. Almost half of them were British and Irish.

According to the Border Guard, seasonal traffic started briskly compared to the previous years 2019–2022, the last two of which have been affected by the corona restrictions.

For the time being, inspections are only carried out at Rovaniemi Airport. In Enontekiö, the season starts on Monday the 21st and in Kittilä and Ivalo on Friday the 25th of the current month.

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Lapland’s air transport winter season got off to a lively start – during the first week, the border guard carried out almost 1,900 checks of external border trafficRead More »

Vaasan Seudun Matkailu Oy has sent an application to the co-owner municipalities for an increase in Municipal funding.

Vaasan Seudun Matkailu wants to increase the financial contribution of the municipalities.

At the end of October, Vaasan Seudun Matkailu Oy has sent an application to the co-owner municipalities for an increase in Municipal funding. The increase would be 10 cents per inhabitant.

Tourism in the Vaasa region justifies the application by saying that in recent years the company has gone through layoffs and extensive cost-saving measures due to the corona virus and the current world situation. At the same time, operations have continued and the attraction of the area has been successfully increased together with partners and entrepreneurs.

The current Municipal funding is 1.34 euros/inhabitant and after the proposed increase it would be 1.44 euros/inhabitant.

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Vaasan Seudun Matkailu wants to increase the financial contribution of the municipalitiesRead More »

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Mikke ry, which developed the center of Mikkeli, is closing its operations – the association’s greatest achievement is ToriparkkiRead More »

With almost 300,000 inhabitants, Murmansk is the world’s largest city north of the Arctic Circle. In the city right next to Finnish Lapland, there are no western tourists or residents to be seen.

There is only one diplomatic representation in Murmansk today – Finland. Finland was the only one left when Norway closed its main consulate in this summer, the largest city in the entire region north of the Arctic Circle. However, the Murmansk office of the Consulate General of Finland in St. Petersburg operates on a budget, at the moment landscape work and projects are on hold.

Roos says that they have ten employees who work on administration, communication and public service.

– Most of them are hired locally. We also cooperate with the police and border contact persons. We handle consular and immigration matters as usual. In addition to Finland, we also represent the EU, that is, if necessary, we assist other EU member states.

\”There is now a break in the projects\”

In the past, the Finnish Consulate in Murmansk organized cultural events for the people of Murmansk, such as the annual Finnish film festival. Most of the events and cultural cooperation are now frozen due to the war started by Russia and tightened sanctions.

According to Vice-Consul Eija Roos, landscape work cannot be done as before as the operating conditions have weakened.

– There is a break in the projects now, but landscape work is still seen as important. The Murmansk office continues the operation of the Suomi club. There are meetings about once a month.

Suomi-klubi has been a club for years, where Russians interested in Finland and the Finnish language can gather. Various themes are discussed at the meetings, including Finnish nature, food and culture.

– The Suomi club met online during the corona virus, but now it has been on site a few times.

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The Finnish consulate is the only foreign representation in Murmansk – the Norwegian consulate general closed in the summerRead More »