Asian tourists gradually returning to Finland as pandemic effects linger

Asian tourists have started to gradually return to Finland, though numbers are still far from pre-pandemic levels. Many travel companies had invested heavily in services targeted at Asian tourists, but the influx of visitors plummeted due to COVID-19 and has not yet recovered. During the 2010s, the number of overnight stays by Asian tourists in Finland tripled, increasing from over 400,000 in 2010 to 1.2 million in 2019, with stays by Chinese tourists alone rising more than fivefold.

Before the pandemic, hundreds of Chinese athletes trained in Vuokatti, Kainuu, where a dedicated restaurant was opened in their resort, and local shops expanded their noodle ranges to cater to them. This area became known as Vuokatti’s “Chinatown.” Visit Finland’s tourism expert, Katarina Wakonen, noted that efforts to attract Chinese and other Asian tourists took years, particularly in Lapland, the capital region, and around Lake Saimaa.

However, the pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine made Finland less accessible, diminishing the appeal of traveling to the country. Industry leaders have reported that before the pandemic, Russians, Chinese, and Japanese contributed nearly a third to Finland’s tourism revenue, but travel from Russia has since halted.

Despite these challenges, the beginning of this year has shown signs of recovery in northern Finland. Over 400 Chinese students have visited Vuokatti Sport for training camps, and ongoing negotiations may bring more tourists.

Visit Finland anticipates that tourism from China could return to pre-COVID levels by 2026. However, concerns loom over planned cuts to Visit Finland’s budget, expected to drop to 7.8 million euros next year, which could severely impact promotional efforts for Finnish tourism.