Finland long-haul tourism has an opportunity to grow by giving international travellers more reasons to explore the country beyond Lapland’s winter landscapes and the Northern Lights. The country already has recognisable attractions, from Helsinki’s architecture and design culture to its national parks, lakeside retreats and Arctic experiences. The challenge is to turn that international interest into longer stays, more regional travel and greater spending throughout the year.
Finland’s tourism ambitions are becoming more substantial. The government’s tourism strategy for 2025 to 2028 sets a target of increasing total tourism demand from EUR 16.6 billion in 2024 to EUR 20 billion by 2028. A central ambition is to double the amount foreign visitors spend in Finland compared with 2019. Achieving that goal will require more than attracting additional arrivals. Finland will need to make itself easier to reach, offer compelling reasons to stay longer and ensure that more tourism businesses and destinations benefit from international demand.
There are reasons to believe the opportunity is real. Statistics Finland reported that overnight stays by non-resident visitors increased by 13 per cent in 2025, reaching 7.2 million, while total overnight stays at registered accommodation establishments rose to 23.3 million. The figures indicate growing international demand, although they cover visitors from both nearby and distant markets and do not, by themselves, establish how much growth came from long-haul travel.
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For Finland, long-haul tourism generally means attracting visitors travelling from markets such as the United States, Canada and selected countries in Asia, often across considerable distances and at a higher overall transport cost than travellers from neighbouring European countries. These visitors need a strong reason to choose Finland over destinations that may be easier, cheaper or more familiar. A distinctive winter experience can provide that reason, but it should be the beginning of the country’s tourism proposition rather than its entire identity.
Lapland has already demonstrated how a clear destination image can attract international attention. Snow-covered forests, reindeer experiences, winter activities and opportunities to see the Northern Lights give travellers a recognisable set of experiences around which they can plan a trip. The commercial challenge is to extend that appeal beyond the busiest winter weeks and encourage visitors to discover other parts of Finland.
Helsinki is an obvious starting point. The capital can offer architecture, Finnish design, museums, restaurants, public saunas, waterfront neighbourhoods and access to the wider country’s transport network. Yet international itineraries can still treat Helsinki primarily as an arrival point before visitors head north. Finland could gain more from long-haul travellers by positioning the capital as a destination in its own right, with enough distinctive experiences to justify several nights rather than a brief stopover.
That approach would also create opportunities to connect urban travel with regional experiences. A visitor arriving from North America, for example, could combine Helsinki’s cultural attractions with a stay in the Lakeland region, a visit to a national park or time in a smaller Finnish town. Travellers interested in design could explore the country’s creative businesses and architecture, while those seeking outdoor activities could build itineraries around hiking, kayaking, cycling or autumn foliage. These combinations would give Finland a broader appeal without requiring every destination to compete with Lapland on winter tourism.
The country’s lakes, forests and seasonal changes are among its strongest assets, but they need to be presented in ways that help international visitors understand what they can actually do. General descriptions of clean nature and peaceful surroundings may attract initial interest, yet travellers making an expensive long-distance journey need practical reasons to choose a particular region, book accommodation and spend several days there. Well-designed itineraries, reliable transport information, clear pricing and bookable experiences can turn broad interest into a purchase.
Seasonality is another issue Finland must address. Winter has an established international profile, but spring, summer and autumn can support different kinds of travel. Summer brings long daylight hours, lake holidays, outdoor dining and opportunities to explore the archipelago. Autumn offers forest landscapes and hiking, while spring can appeal to visitors interested in city breaks, cultural attractions and the transition between seasons. The challenge is not simply to advertise these periods but to develop products that remain commercially viable and accessible outside the peak season.
Tourism businesses will have an important role in making that happen. A compelling destination campaign cannot compensate for limited accommodation, inconvenient connections between attractions or activities that are difficult to book from abroad. Regional operators, hotels, transport providers, restaurants and experience businesses need to work together to offer trips that visitors can understand and purchase before arrival. Small businesses, in particular, may benefit from partnerships that make it possible to package accommodation, transport and activities into a single itinerary.
Accessibility is equally important. Long-haul visitors often compare destinations according to the total time, cost and complexity involved in reaching them. Finland’s international air connections therefore influence more than the number of people who arrive in Helsinki. They can also affect whether travellers see the country as a practical destination for a first visit, a family holiday or a longer multi-region trip.
Improving access does not necessarily mean pursuing every possible direct flight. Airlines must consider commercial demand, operating costs and the prospects for year-round passenger traffic. Finland’s tourism sector can help strengthen the case for connections by demonstrating demand from target markets, coordinating promotion with airlines and travel companies, and developing itineraries that encourage visitors to remain in the country rather than immediately continue elsewhere.
For destinations outside the main gateways, onward transport can be decisive. A traveller may be interested in a national park, a lakeside resort or a small coastal town but abandon the idea if reaching it requires several poorly explained transfers. Clear English-language information, coordinated timetables, straightforward ticketing and dependable connections can make regional travel less intimidating. The quality of this information matters before departure, when visitors are still deciding whether Finland is worth the journey.
Finland should also be more precise about the international audiences it wants to attract. The United States, Canada and Asian markets do not represent a single group of travellers with identical interests or spending habits. Some visitors prioritise outdoor experiences, others seek food, architecture, culture or family activities. Travel preferences, budgets, holiday lengths and seasonal demand also vary. Marketing will be more effective when it connects particular experiences with the audiences most likely to value them, rather than presenting the entire country with the same broad message.
The United States deserves particular attention as an established source of international visitors. Statistics Finland identified Americans among the largest foreign visitor groups staying in Finnish accommodation in June 2025, alongside visitors from Germany and Britain. That is a useful indication of existing demand, though one month’s accommodation figures should not be mistaken for a complete picture of the long-haul market.
For American travellers, Finland could be promoted through more detailed stories about its regions, cultural experiences and practical travel options. Tourism boards and businesses could work with travel journalists, specialist tour operators and creators who can reach audiences interested in Nordic travel. Partnerships with international travel sellers would also help place Finnish experiences within itineraries that people are already considering. Such efforts should explain what makes Finland distinct, rather than relying on familiar images of snow, forests and glass-roofed accommodation.
Digital information is another part of the visitor experience. International travellers often research a destination months before departure, comparing transport, accommodation, seasonal conditions, costs and activities. Finland’s tourism providers need accurate, current and accessible information that answers these questions in plain English and other relevant languages. Regional destinations should be easy to discover through search engines, travel publications and booking platforms, not just through national tourism campaigns.
The country’s tourism strategy also points towards a distinction between attracting more visitors and generating greater value from tourism. Doubling foreign visitor spending relative to 2019 does not necessarily require doubling arrivals. Longer stays, additional nights outside major tourism centres, higher participation in local experiences and more travel during quieter periods could all contribute to the goal. However, these outcomes depend on whether businesses can provide services that visitors genuinely want to buy and whether the resulting revenue reaches local communities.
Growth must also be managed carefully. Finland’s nature and relatively low-density landscapes are part of its appeal, but increased visitor numbers can put pressure on fragile environments, local infrastructure and popular destinations. Expanding tourism responsibly means investing in suitable facilities, supporting local operators, monitoring environmental pressures and directing demand towards places that can accommodate it. A strategy that concentrates spending and congestion in a few familiar locations would leave much of the country’s tourism potential underused.
The next stage for Finland is to connect its international reputation with a more complete travel offer. Lapland can continue attracting winter visitors, while Helsinki, the archipelago, the lake districts and smaller regional destinations give travellers reasons to extend their trips or return in another season. Better transport connections, stronger partnerships with international sellers and more useful destination information can help make those journeys possible.
Finland does not need to manufacture an entirely new identity to attract more long-haul visitors. It needs to make the country beyond its best-known attractions easier to discover, easier to reach and more rewarding to experience. If it can persuade international travellers that Finland offers a varied holiday rather than a single spectacular moment, the country will be better placed to turn rising interest into longer stays and more sustainable tourism revenue.
