Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2011 > August > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland increased by 14 per cent in August

Published: 13 October 2011

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland increased by 14 per cent in August

The number of recorded nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments in August 2011 was 716,000, which was 14 per cent higher than in August 2010. The total number of overnight stays increased by five per cent from last year and altogether 2.2 million overnight stays were recorded at accommodation establishments. The number of nights spent by resident tourists went up by two per cent and totalled 1.5 million in August 2011. These figures are preliminary data from Statistics Finland’s statistics on accommodation establishments and they have been collected from accommodation establishments with at least 10 rooms, cottages, or caravan pitches with electricity connection, and youth hostels.

Change in overnight stays in August 2011/2010, %

Russians were by far the largest group of foreign tourists in August with their 139,000 overnight stays. The number of nights recorded for them at Finnish accommodation establishments was 26 per cent higher than one year earlier. Germans were next with 93,000 nights spent. The number was 11 per cent higher than in August 2010. Visitors from Sweden came third with 78,000 nights spent, which was almost the same number as one year earlier. Tourism from Italy also showed strong growth. Overnight stays recorded for Italian visitors numbered 41,000, which was 22 per cent more than in August 2010. Nights spent at Finnish accommodation establishments by visitors from the USA have been increasing throughout the current year and the same trend continued through August. The number of nights recorded for them at Finnish accommodation establishments was 16 per cent up year-on-year. Spanish tourists spent 15 per cent and Japanese tourists 10 per cent more nights in Finland than one year before. By contrast, British tourists spent six per cent fewer nights at accommodation establishments than last year.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased most in the regions of South Ostrobothnia, up by 24 per cent, and Etelä-Savo, up by 17 per cent. The number of recorded overnight stays went up by 11 per cent in Central Finland and Kymenlaakso, and by eight per cent in North Ostrobothnia and Varsinais-Suomi from the year before. Seven per cent growth was seen in Uusimaa and South Karelia. Overnight stays decreased most in Satakunta, by nine per cent, and in Pohjois-Savo, by six per cent. In the whole country, overnight stays increased by five per cent from August 2010.

Change in overnight stays in August by region 2011 / 2010, %

Overnight stays in hotels increased by six per cent in August.

The total number of nights spent in hotels rose to 1.6 million in August, which was six per cent up on the year before. Overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 13 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded a total of 550,000 million of them. Recorded nights spent by resident tourists in hotels numbered 1.1 million. The number was two per cent higher than one year previously.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms was 59.6 per cent in August. One year earlier it was 57.1 per cent. Among the regions, the highest occupancy rates of hotel rooms were measured in Uusimaa, 77.5 per cent and South Karelia, 70.7 per cent. In Lappeenranta, the hotel room occupancy rate was 80.0 per cent and in Mariehamn 78.8 per cent. Hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 86.3 per cent.

In August, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 82.94 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously it was EUR 82.35.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments increased by four per cent in the January to August period of 2011.

Between January and August, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled 14.5 million, which was four per cent up on the respective time period of last year. Overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 11 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded a total of 4 million of them. Overnight stays by resident tourists numbered 10.5 million, which was two per cent more than in the same time period last year.

Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by Russian visitors increased most, or by 23 per cent, in the January to August period. Overnight stays by Spanish tourists went up by one-fifth and those by visitors from the United States by almost equally much. The number of nights recorded for them at Finnish accommodation establishments was 19 per cent higher than in the respective time period one year earlier. Overnight stays by Italian tourists increased by 13 per cent and those by Estonian tourists by 10 per cent year-on-year. By contrast, nights spent by tourists from Britain have been decreasing almost throughout the current year and over the January to August period the drop amounted to six per cent.

Change in overnight stays in January-August 2011/2010, %

Source: Accommodation Statistics 2011, 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. Capacity and its utilization, August 2011 (13.10.2011)
• Appendix table 2. Nights spend in all establishments, August 2011 (13.10.2011)
• Appendix table 3. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, August 2011 (13.10.2011)
• Appendix table 4. Nights spend in hotels, August 2011 (13.10.2011)
• Appendix table 5. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, August 2011 (13.10.2011)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spend in all establishments, 2011 (13.10.2011)

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Updated 13.10.2011