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Published: 21 November 2013

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 3.7 per cent in September 2013

The number of recorded nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments in September 2013 was 418,000, which was 3.7 per cent higher than in September 2012. Overnight stays by resident tourists numbered good 1.1 million. However, the number was 2.1 per cent lower than one year earlier. The total number of overnight stays decreased by 0.6 per cent from last year and altogether good 1.5 million overnight stays were recorded at accommodation establishments in September 2013. These figures are preliminary data from Statistics Finland’s statistics on accommodation establishments and they have been collected from accommodation establishments with at least 20 beds or caravan pitches with electricity connection, and youth hostels.

Change in overnight stays in September 2013/2012, %

Nights spent at Finnish accommodation establishments by Russian visitors increased by 15.4 per cent in September 2013 and they were the largest group of foreign visitors with nearly 85,000 overnight stays. Swedes came next with 41,000 overnight stays, even though the drop from 2012 amounted to 4.7 per cent. Germans were in the third position with good 31,000 overnight stays. The number of their overnight stays decreased heavily, as there were 11.4 per cent less overnight stays recorded at accommodation establishments compared with September 2012. By contrast, overnight stays recorded for British visitors increased by 17.3 per cent and totalled good 24,000. Tourism from Asian countries continued to grow heavily. Overnight stays by Chinese tourists increased most, by 25.7 per cent, and they spent good 14,000 nights at Finnish accommodation establishments. Altogether, 19,000 overnight stays were recorded for Japanese visitors, which was 10.7 per cent more than one year before. By contrast, among other major tourist countries, the amount of overnight stays by Italian visitors decreased by one-fifth and those by Estonian tourists by 17.3 per cent. Nights spent by visitors from the USA also decreased strongly, by 14.7 per cent from last year.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased most in September in the regions of Etelä-Savo, up by 24.0 per cent, and South Ostrobothnia, up by 10.6 per cent. The regions of Kymenlaakso, Kainuu and Pirkanmaa recorded four to six per cent more overnight stays compared to September 2012. By contrast, overnight stays decreased by 13.0 per cent in Päijät-Häme and by 6.5 per cent in Kanta-Häme. The number of overnight stays in the whole country recorded at accommodation establishments in September fell by 0.6 per cent from one year earlier.

Change in overnight stays in September by region 2013 / 2012, %

Nights spent in hotels decreased by 3.4 per cent in September 2013

In September 2013, the total number of nights spent in hotels was just under 1.3 million, which was 3.4 per cent lower than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays recorded for resident tourists at accommodation establishments numbered 919,000, which was 3.8 per cent less than in September 2012. Overnight stays by foreign tourists decreased by 2.4 per cent and hotels recorded a total of 338,000 of them.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms was 53.4 per cent in September. One year earlier, it was 55.2 per cent. Among the regions, the highest occupancy rates of hotel rooms were measured in Uusimaa, 68.7 per cent, and South Karelia, 58.6 per cent. In Lappeenranta, the hotel room occupancy rate was 66.5 per cent and in Helsinki 75.3 per cent.

In September 2013, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 91.97 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously, it was EUR 91.42.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments fell by 0.5 per cent in January to September 2013

Between January and September 2013, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled almost 16.2 million, which was 0.5 per cent down on the respective time period of last year. Overnight stays by resident tourists decreased by 0.9 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded good 11.5 million of them. Overnight stays by foreign tourists numbered 4.6 million, which was 0.5 per cent more than in January to September 2012.

Nearly 1.3 million nights spent at Finnish accommodation establishments were recorded for Russians, and they were by far the largest group of foreign visitors in January to September 2013. Overnight stays of Russian visitors increased by 8.1 per cent from the respective time period of last year. The second largest group was Swedish visitors. A total of 451,000 overnight stays were recorded for them, which was almost the same as in January to September 2012. German visitors made up the third largest group with close on 428,000 overnight stays. Overnight stays by German visitors made a downturn in June and 6.6 per cent fewer overnight stays were recorded for them at accommodation establishments than in January to September 2012. By contrast, overnight stays by British tourists have increased heavily throughout the current year and in January to September, 12.5 per cent more stays were recorded for them than in the corresponding period in 2012. The number of overnight stays by British visitors rose to 284,000. Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by visitors from China and Japan increased most. Overnight stays by Chinese tourists increased by 28.0 per cent and those by Japanese tourists by one-fifth. By contrast, overnight stays by Estonian tourists continued to decrease heavily and 141,000 overnight stays were recorded for them at accommodation establishments in January to September 2013, which was 22.6 per cent less than in the corresponding time period last year.

Change in overnight stays in January-September 2013/2012, %

Source: Accommodation Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Marjut Tuominen 09 1734 3556, Merja Rönkä 09 1734 3209, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1.1. Capacity and its utilization, September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 1.2. Capacity and its utilization, January-September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 2.1. Nights spend in all establishments, September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 2.2. Nights spend in all establishments, January-September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 3.1. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 3.2. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, January-September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 4.1. Nights spend in hotels, September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 4.2. Nights spend in hotels, January-September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 5.1. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 5.2. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, January-September 2013 (21.11.2013)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spend in all establishments, 2013 (21.11.2013)

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Updated 21.11.2013