Northern Finland sees surge as ‘coolcation’ trend grows

Visits to Finland by foreign tourists grew significantly last year, according to the state-run Business Finland and tourism outfit Visit Finland.

The growth in foreign tourism to the country was faster compared to the average in the rest of Europe, they said.

The number of overnight hotel stays rose to an all-time high of 7.2 million.

That reflected a 12 percent increase in overnight stays. Meanwhile, the rest of Europe and other Nordic countries saw growth of 11 percent, according to Visit Finland.

“The total number of foreign tourists rose to 5.1 million, an increase of five percent from the previous year. Growth was strongest among groups that bring the most economic value to the tourism industry — the number of leisure tourists increased by 15 percent and meeting and congress tourists grew by 13 percent,” Visit Finland’s Katarina Wakonen said in a press release on Tuesday.

Tourism growth was particularly visible outside the high season. During the spring off-season, overnight stays increased by 16 percent nationwide and by 24 percent in the Helsinki metropolitan area.

At the same time, year-round tourism also increased in Finnish Lapland, where overnight stays rose over the summer, which has been a goal, according to the tourism outfit.

The winter season started earlier and lasted longer, with the highest growth rates seen in April and October.

According to Visit Finland, foreign tourists spent around 3.7 billion euros in the country in 2025, or an average of 305 million euros per month. Most of that money went towards accommodation, restaurant meals, transportation, experiences and shopping.

It noted that things like visitors’ flight and ferry tickets are not included in the calculations.

“The growth in tourism over the past two years has come entirely from foreign tourists. Without foreign demand, the overall tourism market would be in decline, as domestic tourism has decreased,” the release explained.

According to Wakonen, the growth was particularly driven by long-distance markets. Among the countries with the largest growth were: Japan, China, India and Taiwan, as well as the United States and Australia. In terms of European visitors, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and France brought the most growth.

Recent trends suggest that visitors are increasingly heading towards northern destinations, as travellers seek so-called ‘coolcation’ style trips, in regions with moderate climates.

Visit Finland said that the country has benefited from its relatively cool summers, lots of wintertime activities and other positive qualities.

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This story is posted on the Barents Observer as part of Eye on the Arctic, a collaborative partnership between public and private circumpolar media organizations.