Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2012 > March > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 6 per cent in March 2012

Published: 21 May 2012

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 6 per cent in March 2012

The number of recorded nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments in March 2012 was 445,000, which was six per cent higher than in March 2011. The total number of overnight stays increased by 3.5 per cent from last year and altogether good 1.7 million overnight stays were recorded at accommodation establishments. The number of nights spent by resident tourists went up by three per cent and totalled 1.3 million in March 2012. 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 March 2012/2011, %

Nights spent at Finnish accommodation establishments by Russian visitors increased by 18 per cent in March and, as usual, they were by far the largest group of foreign visitors with 112,000 overnight stays. German and Swedish visitors came next. Germans spent good 42,000 nights which, however, was still six per cent fewer than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays by Swedish visitors decreased by two per cent and totalled 32,000 in March 2012. Visitors from Britain were the fourth largest group with 29,000 overnight stays. The number was 10 per cent lower than one year earlier. Nights spent by visitors from the USA decreased by 12 per cent from last year. By contrast, overnight stays recorded for Estonian visitors increased by 21 per cent and totalled 24,000. Nights spent by visitors from Japan also went up again strongly, or by 23 per cent, and accommodation establishments recorded 15,500 of them in March 2012.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased most in March 2012 in South Karelia, up by 50 per cent. In Ostrobothnia, the number of nights spent grew by seven per cent and in Uusimaa by six per cent. Five per cent more overnight stays than in March 2011 were recorded in both Kanta-Häme and Päijät-Häme. Four per cent growth was also achieved in Central Finland, North Ostrobothnia and Kainuu.Overnight stays decreased most in Satakunta, by 10 per cent, and in South Ostrobothnia, by 9 per cent. In the whole country, overnight stays were four per cent up on March 2011.

Change in overnight stays in March by region 2012 / 2011, %

Nights spent in hotels increased by four per cent in March 2012

In March 2012, the total number of nights spent in hotels rose to nearly 1.5 million, which was four per cent up year-on-year. Overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 5.5 per cent and hotels recorded a total of 400,000 of them. Recorded nights spent by resident tourists in hotels numbered good one million. The number was 3.5 per cent higher than in March 2011.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms was 56.1 per cent in March. One year earlier, it was 54.8 per cent. Examined by region, the highest hotel room occupancy rates were recorded in Lapland, 67.9 per cent, and Kainuu, 64.4 per cent. In Kittilä, the hotel room occupancy rate was 85.0 per cent and in Kolari 82.1 per cent. Hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 64.0 per cent.

In March, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 92.85 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously it was EUR 91.76.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments grew by six per cent in January-March 2012

Over January-March 2012, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled 4.6 million, which was six per cent up on the same period of last year. Overnight stays by foreign tourists went up by 14 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded a total of 1.5 million of them. Overnight stays by resident tourists numbered 3.1 million, which was two per cent more than in January-March 2011.

Overnight stays recorded at accommodation establishments in Finland for Russian visitors in January-March numbered 510,000, which was one-fifth up on the same period one year earlier. German and British visitors came next. Overnight stays by German visitors increased by seven per cent and numbered 117,000. Visitors from Britain spent good 113,000 nights at accommodation establishments. The number was 11.5 per cent up year-on-year. The number of nights spent by visitors from France rose to 88,000, which was seven per cent up on January-March 2011. Over 60,000 overnight stays were recorded for visitors from both Estonia and the Netherlands. Overnight stays by Estonian visitors increased by 18 per cent while those by Dutch visitors remained almost on level with last year. However, the biggest increase of 45 per cent was recorded in overnight stays by Japanese visitors who spent 51,000 nights at accommodation establishments. Nights spent at Finnish accommodation establishments by visitors from almost all the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland increased in the January-March period of 2012.

Change in overnight stays in January-March 2012/2011, %

Source: Accommodation Statistics 2012. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Merja Rönkä 09 1734 3209, Kari Keränen 09 1734 3208, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Capacity and its utilization, March 2012 (21.5.2012)
• Appendix table 2. Nights spend in all establishments, March 2012 (21.5.2012)
• Appendix table 3. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, March 2012 (21.5.2012)
• Appendix table 4. Nights spend in hotels, March 2012 (21.5.2012)
• Appendix table 5. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, March 2012 (21.5.2012)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spend in all establishments, 2012 (21.5.2012)

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Updated 21.5.2012