Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2016 > September > Nights spent by resident tourists increased by 5.2 per cent in September 2016

Published: 17 November 2016

Nights spent by resident tourists increased by 5.2 per cent in September 2016

Overnight stays by resident tourists increased by 5.2 per cent in September from last year and Finnish accommodation establishments recorded good 1.2 million of them. The number of nights spent by foreign tourists grew by 3.3 per cent and totalled nearly 420,000. A total of good 1.6 million overnight stays were recorded at Finnish accommodation establishments in September 2016, which was 4.7 per cent more than in September 2015. 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.

Change in overnight stays in September 2016/2015, %

The prolonged steep decline in overnight stays by Russian visitors made a ten per cent upturn in September 2016. Russians became the second-largest group of tourists after Swedes with 40,000 overnight stays. In September, the number of recorded nights spent by Swedish tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments was highest, good 46,000, which was 4.2 per cent more than in September 2015. Germans came next with 32,000 nights spent, even though the number declined by 14.2 per cent from the previous year. Japanese visitors rose to fourth place with nearly 26,000 overnight stays, which was 9.3 per cent more than twelve months earlier.

In addition to Russians, the biggest growth percentages were recorded for tourists from China, the United States and Norway. Overnight stays by Chinese visitors increased by 18.0 per cent and those by visitors from the USA by 11.2 per cent year-on-year. Overnight stays by Norwegians grew by 9.8 per cent. Finnish accommodation establishments recorded 23,000 to 24,000 overnight stays for tourists from China and the United States, while overnight stays by Norwegians amounted to 13,000.

Next to Germans, the biggest decreases in overnight stays were recorded for French, British and Italian visitors, for whom 10 to 11 per cent fewer overnight stays were recorded than in September 2015. Altogether, 20,500 overnight stays were recorded for British tourists, while overnight stays by French and Italian visitors amounted to around 7,000 to 8,500.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased most in September in the regions of South Karelia, up by 25.4 per cent, and South Ostrobothnia, up by 14.8 per cent. In Kanta-Häme and North Ostrobothnia growth amounted to around ten per cent in each. The biggest drop in overnight stays was recorded in Satakunta, 10.0 per cent and in Kymenlaakso, where the number of overnight stays recorded was 8.5 per cent lower than over year earlier. Overnight stays in the whole country increased by 4.7 per cent from last year.

Change in overnight stays in September by region 2016 / 2015, %

Hotel stays increased by 4.8 per cent in September year-on-year

The total number of nights spent in hotels was good 1.3 million in September, which was 4.8 per cent higher than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays by both resident and non-resident tourists increased by around five per cent each. The number of nights spent by domestic tourists was close on 981,000 and hotels recorded good 355,000 nights for foreign tourists.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms in the whole country was 57.5 per cent in September. One year earlier, it was 55.8 per cent. Among the regions, the highest occupancy rates of hotel rooms were measured in Uusimaa, 73.5 per cent, and South Karelia, 66.8 per cent. In Vantaa, the hotel room occupancy rate rose to 78.1 per cent and in Lappeenranta to 77.9 per cent. The hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 79.3 per cent.

In September, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 97.75 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously, it was EUR 92.07.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments grew by 1.9 per cent in January to September

In January to September 2016, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled nearly 16 million. This was 1.9 per cent higher than in the corresponding period one year earlier. Overnight stays by both resident and non-resident tourists decreased by 1.9 per cent each. Nearly 11.6 million overnight stays were recorded for resident tourists and good four million for non-resident tourists.

The number of nights spent by Russian visitors at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled 534,000 in January to September, which was 16.1 per cent down on the respective period of last year despite the growth seen in September. However, Russians were the largest group of foreign visitors in January to September, while Swedish visitors came next with good 461,000 overnight stays. Overnight stays by Swedish visitors remained on level with the previous year, only 0.8 per cent growth. The third largest group were German tourists for whom accommodation establishment recorded 451,000 nights spent. Their overnight stays decreased by 1.6 per cent from the respective time period of last year.

British visitors spent good 271,000 nights at accommodation establishments and French tourists almost 191,000. Nights spent by British tourists went down by 2.5 per cent, whereas those spent by French tourists went up by 7.0 per cent in January to September 2016. Overnight stays by visitors from the United States increased by 14.5 per cent and those by Spanish visitors by 12.0 per cent. Visitors from the United States stayed at accommodation establishments close on 190,000 nights, while good 89,000 overnight stays were recorded for Spanish visitors.

Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by Chinese visitors increased most during the January to September period. Nights spent by Chinese visitors rose to 179,000, which was one-fifth more than in the same period twelve months earlier. Good 165,000 nights were recorded for Japanese visitors and the growth amounted to 7.6 per cent compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.

Change in overnight stays in January-September 2016/2015, %

Source: Accommodation Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Marjut Tuominen 029 551 3556, Ossi Nurmi 029 551 2984, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1.1. Capacity and its utilization, September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 1.2. Capacity and its utilization, January-September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 2.1. Nights spent in all establishments, September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 2.2. Nights spent in all establishments, January-September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 3.1. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 3.2. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, January-September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 4.1. Nights spent in hotels, September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 4.2. Nights spent in hotels, January-September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 5.1. Visitor arrivals and nights spent by country of residence, September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 5.2. Visitor arrivals and nights spent by country of residence, January-September 2016 (17.11.2016)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spent in all establishments, 2016 (17.11.2016)

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Updated 17.11.2016