Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2014 > April > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 1.5 per cent in April 2014

Published: 12 June 2014

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 1.5 per cent in April 2014

The number of recorded nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments in April 2014 was close on 300,000, which was 1.5 per cent more than in April 2013. Overnight stays by resident tourists numbered good one million, which was almost the same as in April 2013. The total number of nights spent also remained on level with the previous year and altogether good 1.3 million overnight stays were recorded at accommodation establishments in April 2014. 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 April 2014/2013, %

The steep decline in overnight stays by Russian visitors continued, 58,000 overnight stays were recorded for them in Finnish accommodation establishments, which was one-fifth fewer than one year ago. However, Russians made up the largest group of foreign tourists in April 2014. Swedish tourists came next with nearly 33,000 nights spent and they had 4.4 per cent more overnight stays at accommodation establishments than in April 2013. More than 23,000 overnight stays at accommodation establishments were recorded for both British and German visitors. Overnight stays by British tourists increased by 10.6 per cent while those by German tourists decreased by 1.9 per cent. Overnight stays by Spanish and Swiss visitors increased heavily, but only 6,000 to 7,000 overnight stays were recorded for them at accommodation establishments in April 2014. Overnight stays by Spanish tourists increased by 37.6 per cent and those by Swiss tourists by 25.7 per cent. Overnight stays recorded at accommodation establishments for Norwegian visitors totalled close on 16,000, which was 11.4 per cent up from one year before. Overnight stays by visitors from Estonia and the United States increased by around ten per cent each and a total of 12,000 to 13,000 overnight stays were recorded for them in April 2014.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased in April most in South Ostrobothnia, up by 13.3 per cent. Overnight stays increased by 11.0 per cent in Varsinais-Suomi and by 8.6 per cent in Päijät-Häme. Overnight stays in Lapland increased by 4.5 per cent from the year before. The largest decreases in overnight stays were measured in Pohjois-Savo, Central Finland and Satakunta, where overnight stays decreased by eight to nine per cent from last year. Approximately six per cent less overnight stays were recorded in North Karelia and Åland than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays in the whole country remained on level with April 2013.

Change in overnight stays in April by region 2014 / 2013, %

Nights spent in hotels decreased by 1.5 per cent in April 2014

In April 2014, the total number of nights spent in hotels was 1.1 million, which was 1.5 per cent lower than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays recorded for resident tourists at hotels numbered 852,000, which was 2.5 per cent lower than in April 2013. By contrast, overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 1.6 per cent and hotels recorded a total of 270,000 of them.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms in the whole country was 45.7 per cent in April. One year earlier, it was 46.9 per cent. Examined by region, the highest hotel room occupancy rates were recorded in South Karelia, 55.2 per cent, and Uusimaa, 53.0 per cent. In Lappeenranta, the hotel room occupancy rate was 65.4 per cent and in Vantaa, it rose to 64.9 per cent. Hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 56.0 per cent.

In April 2014, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 89.56 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously it was EUR 90.74.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments fell by 2 per cent in January to April 2014

Over January to April 2014, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled close on 5.8 million, which was 2 per cent down from the corresponding period of last year. Overnight stays by resident tourists decreased by 2.4 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded a total of 4 million of them. Overnight stays by foreign tourists numbered almost 1.8 million, which was 1.1 per cent lower than in January to April 2013.

Nearly 550,000 nights spent at Finnish accommodation establishments were recorded for Russians, and they were by far the largest group of foreign visitors in January to April 2014. The growth in overnight stays by Russian visitors at Finnish accommodation establishments halted in January, and their overnight stays have decreased throughout the ongoing year. In the January to April period, 7.7 per cent fewer overnight stays at accommodation establishments were recorded for Russians than in the corresponding period of last year. The second largest group was British visitors. Nearly 139,000 overnight stays were recorded for them, which was 8.1 per cent fewer than in January to April 2013. German visitors made up the third largest group with good 136,000 overnight stays. The number of nights recorded for them at Finnish accommodation establishments was 1.5 per cent fewer than one year earlier. Overnight stays by Japanese tourists decreased heavily in January to April, and they spent 12.3 per cent fewer nights at Finnish accommodation establishments than in the corresponding period last year. Nearly 59,000 overnight stays were recorded for Japanese visitors in January to April 2014. Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by Chinese visitors increased most, or by 15.2 per cent, during the January to April period.

Change in overnight stays in January-April 2014/2013, %

Source: Accommodation Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Marjut Tuominen 029 551 3556, Kari Keränen 029 551 3208, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Hannele Orjala

Publication in pdf-format (384.8 kB)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1.1. Capacity and its utilization, April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 1.2. Capacity and its utilization, January-April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 2.1. Nights spend in all establishments, April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 2.2. Nights spend in all establishments, January-April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 3.1. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 3.2. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, January-April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 4.1. Nights spend in hotels, April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 4.2. Nights spend in hotels, January-April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 5.1. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 5.2. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, January-April 2014 (12.6.2014)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spend in all establishments, 2014 (12.6.2014)

---

Updated 12.6.2014