Monthly inquiry for accommodation statistics

Organisations have an obligation to provide data. The obligation to provide data is based on the Statistics Act (280/2004).

Data are collected from accommodation establishments with at least 20 beds without extra beds, or at least 20 caravan and camper pitches with electrical connection points. In total, the inquiry comprises approximately 1,400 accommodation establishments.

In the data collection for the accommodation statistics, data are asked monthly about accommodation establishments’ capacity and sales income from accommodation as well as on people staying overnight by country of residence. In addition, basic data and permanent capacity related to accommodation establishments are inquired.

The data of the statistics are used to monitor and promote domestic tourism and tourism from abroad to Finland, and for the planning of national and regional investments in tourism. The users of the data include central government, municipalities, tourism enterprises and organisations, and research institutes. Besides Finland, the data of the accommodation statistics are published by the EU and the World Tourism Organization (WTO). The accommodation statistics are also used as reference data in the compilation of the tourism balance and the tourism account.

The data of the accommodation statistics are used, for example, in the following statistics, datasets or publications:

• Accommodation statistics
• VisitFinland
• Eurostat
• UNWTO
• OECD

For the quality of the accommodation statistics it is important to receive data for months when the accommodation establishment has been closed. This way we ensure that the inquiry results and compiled statistics are of high quality and give a correct picture of the studied subject.

If the accommodation establishment has closed down temporarily, it is taken into account according to the situation reported in the data collection. If the establishment has closed down permanently, it is removed from the data collection for accommodation statistics.

Capacity includes all rooms, cottages and apartments for which reservations can be made in the month in question and which can be taken into use within a reasonable period of time. For example, rooms, cottages and apartments where heating has been temporarily lowered. 

Long-term accommodation means such accommodation that is priced on a monthly basis and lasts for at least one month.

If the pricing of accommodation is based on a day or week, it is then short-term even if it lasts for over one month. The upper limit is six months, and longer stays are always long-term regardless of the pricing basis.

If the majority (e.g. over 80%) of overnight stays yearly or in the previous 12 months are long-term accommodation, the establishment is not included in the data collection.

Accommodation statistics do not include data on accommodation of refugees or asylum seekers. If all the facilities of the accommodation establishment are temporarily used for refugees or asylum seekers, the establishment is not included in the data collection of accommodation statistics for the period in question.  

Accommodation establishments can also send their monthly accommodation data via automatic direct data transfer if they use a reservation system that has a reporting program for direct data transfer. Such reservation systems include Hotellinx, Hotsoft8, TravelNet, Webia and Johku.

Only the vendor of the reservation system can add automatic direct data transfer to the system. The system vendor can contact Statistics Finland and we can give guidance on this matter.