Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2012 > September > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 1.3 per cent in September 2012

Published: 16 November 2012

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 1.3 per cent in September 2012

The number of recorded nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments in September 2012 was 405,000, which was 1.3 per cent higher than one year earlier. In contrast, the number of nights spent by resident tourists at accommodation establishments went down by 1.5 per cent and totalled close on 1.2 million in September 2012. The total number of nights spent decreased by 0.8 per cent and altogether nearly 1.6 million overnight stays were recorded at accommodation establishments. 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 2012/2011, %

Once again, Russians made up the largest group of foreign tourists in September 2012. Finnish accommodation establishments recorded 74,000 overnight stays for them, which was 15.3 per cent more than one year before. Visitors from Germany and Sweden came next, even though overnight stays for both of them decreased from one year back. Swedish visitors spent 44,000 nights, and the reduction from September 2011 was 3.5 per cent. Nearly 36,000 nights spent were recorded for German visitors, which was 2.8 per cent fewer than twelve months earlier. British and American visitors both spent nearly 21,000 nights each, and the amount decreased by one per cent for both groups from the previous year. The biggest growth was seen in overnight stays by Japanese visitors whose nights spent increased by 20.9 per cent. Overnight stays by Norwegian visitors increased by 16.3 per cent, and those by visitors from France by 12.8 per cent. The biggest drop was recorded for overnight stays by Spanish visitors that decreased by 30.2 per cent compared to twelve months earlier.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased most in South Karelia, up by 33.2 per cent in September. In Kymenlaakso, overnight stays grew by 20.2 per cent, in Etelä-Savo by 6.8 per cent and in North Karelia by 6.1 per cent. In Åland, 2.6 per cent more overnight stays were recorded than in September 2011. Nights spent decreased most in Central Ostrobothnia, 13.1 per cent down, and in Kanta-Häme, 9.8 per cent down. Overnight stays in the whole country dropped by 0.8 per cent from last year.

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

Nights spent in hotels decreased by 0.5 per cent in September 2012

In September 2012, the total number of nights spent in hotels was 1.3 million, which was 0.5 per cent lower than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 2.2 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded a total of nearly 348,000 of them. Recorded nights spent by resident tourists in hotels numbered 956,000. The number was 1.4 per cent lower than in September 2011.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms was 55.2 per cent in September. One year earlier, it was 56.9 per cent. Among the regions, the highest occupancy rates of hotel rooms were measured in Uusimaa, 71.1 per cent, and South Karelia, 61.8 per cent. In Lappeenranta, the hotel room occupancy rate was 70.7 per cent and in Vantaa 73.1 per cent. Hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 78.4 per cent.

In September, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 91.35 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously it was EUR 90.19.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments went up by 1.7 per cent in the January to September 2012 period

Over the January-September period of 2012, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled 16.3 million, which was 1.7 per cent more than in the same period of last year. Overnight stays by foreign tourists went up by 5.8 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded a total of 4.6 million of them. Overnight stays by resident tourists numbered 11.7 million, which was almost the same as in January-September 2011.

Overnight stays recorded at Finnish accommodation establishments for Russian visitors in January-September numbered nearly 1.2 million, which was 18.8 per cent up on the same period one year earlier. German and Swedish visitors came next. Overnight stays by German visitors decreased by 1.3 per cent and numbered 458,000. Nights spent by visitors from Sweden at Finnish accommodation establishments numbered 451,000, which was 2.6 per cent down on the same period twelve months earlier. Overnight stays recorded for British visitors numbered 254,000, which was 1.3 per cent more than in January-September 2011. Estonian visitors spent 183,000 nights, which was 7.1 per cent up on twelve months earlier. The number of nights spent by visitors from France rose to nearly 177,000, which was 4.0 per cent up on January-September 2011. However, the biggest increase of 21.3 per cent was recorded in overnight stays by Japanese visitors, who spent 133,000 nights at Finnish accommodation establishments. The biggest decreases in overnight stays in January-September were seen for visitors from Spain, down by 27.9 per cent, and Italy, down by 17.7 per cent.

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

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. Capacity and its utilization, September 2012 (16.11.2012)
• Appendix table 2. Nights spend in all establishments, September 2012 (16.11.2012)
• Appendix table 3. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, September 2012 (16.11.2012)
• Appendix table 4. Nights spend in hotels, September 2012 (16.11.2012)
• Appendix table 5. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, September 2012 (16.11.2012)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spend in all establishments, 2012 (16.11.2012)

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Updated 16.11.2012