Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2015 > August > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland decreased by 4.1 per cent in August

Published: 22 October 2015

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland decreased by 4.1 per cent in August

The number of recorded nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments in August 2015 was close on 669,000, which was 4.1 per cent lower than in August 2014. By contrast, overnight stays by resident tourists went up by 2.2 per cent and totalled nearly 1.5 million. The total number of overnight stays at accommodation establishments was good 2.1 million, which was almost the same number as in the year before. 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.

Change in overnight stays in August 2015/2014, %

The growth in overnight stays by foreign tourists seen in July was short-lived and, as has been the trend in 2015, overnight stays by foreign visitors declined again in August. Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, the biggest drop was seen in overnight stays by Russians, 41.8 per cent. However, good 90,000 overnight stays were recorded for Russian tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments and they were the largest foreign tourist group in August 2015. German tourists came next with nearly 78,500 nights spent and they had 1.6 per cent fewer overnight stays at accommodation establishments than one year previously. By contrast, the overnight stays of Swedish tourists increased by 4.9 per cent and their 76,000 overnightings made them the third-largest group of foreign tourists.

Overnight stays recorded for British visitors numbered 33,300, which was 11.5 per cent more than in August 2014. Overnight stays by Chinese tourists have increased throughout the current year, and in August 2015 the growth amounted to 53.1 per cent, which made them the fifth largest country of inbound tourism. The number of nights spent by them rose to good 32,000. For visitors from Japan, the United States and Italy, around 27,000 overnight stays were recorded for each. Nights spent by Japanese tourists went up by 11.4 per cent whereas those spent by tourists from Italy and the United States fell by one to four per cent from August 2014. In addition to Russians, overnight stays by Estonian tourists decreased heavily, amounting to 18,000, which was one-fifth fewer than one year earlier.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased in August most in Ostrobothnia, up by 21.8 per cent. In Åland, overnight stays went up by 13.4 per cent and in Kainuu by 11.4 per cent. The biggest decreases in overnight stays were recorded in Central Finland, 15.5 per cent, and in Etelä-Savo, 12.4 per cent. In the whole country, overnight stays increased only by 0.2 per cent from August 2014.

Change in overnight stays in August by region 2015 / 2014, %

Nearly the same number of overnight stays were recorded at hotels in August as one year before

The total number of nights spent in hotels was close on 1.6 million in August 2015, which was almost the same as one year before. Overnight stays by resident tourists increased by 2.3 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded almost 1.1 million of them. By contrast, overnight stays by foreign tourists decreased by 4.3 per cent year-on-year and hotels recorded good 500,000 of them in August 2015.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms in the whole country was 57.9 per cent in August. One year earlier, it was 58.1 per cent. Among the regions, the highest occupancy rate of hotel rooms was measured in Uusimaa, 74.9 per cent. An occupancy rate of over 60 per cent was reached in Varsinais-Suomi, 62.1 per cent. In Åland, 58.6 per cent of hotel rooms were in use. In Oulu, the hotel room occupancy rate rose to 73.9 per cent and in Mariehamn to 72.9 per cent. The hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 84.0 per cent.

In August, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 90.16 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously, it was EUR 92.91.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments fell by 1.3 per cent in January to August

Between January and August 2015, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled around 14 million. This was 1.3 per cent lower than in the corresponding period one year earlier. The number of nights spent by resident tourists were almost on level with the previous year, only an increase of 0.5 per cent, while that of nights spent by foreign tourists decreased by 5.6 per cent. In total, 10.2 million overnight stays were recorded for resident tourists and close on 4 million overnight stays were recorded for non-resident tourists.

Between January and August 2015, the number of nights spent by Russian visitors at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled close on 601,000 overnight stays, which was 42.5 per cent down on the respective time period of last year. They were, however, by far, the largest group of foreign visitors in January to August, while Swedish visitors came next with 423,000 overnight stays. Overnight stays of Swedes went up by 5.3 per cent. Close on 421,000 overnight stays were recorded for German visitors and good 255,000 for British tourists. The overnight stays of visitors from Germany increased by 7.7 per cent and those of visitors from Great Britain by 3.0 per cent from the previous year's corresponding time period.

Overnight stays by French visitors amounted to 168,000 in January to August, which was 4.5 per cent more than in the corresponding period one year ago. Accommodation establishments recorded nearly 145,000 overnight stays for tourists from the United States and close on 143,000 overnight stays for Norwegian tourists. Overnight stays by Norwegian tourists increased by 7.8 per cent, while those by tourists from the United States decreased by 3.6 per cent from the corresponding period in 2014.

Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by Chinese visitors increased most, or by 43.5 per cent, during the January to August period. The number of overnight stays by Chinese visitors rose to good 130,000.

Change in overnight stays in January-August 2015/2014, %

Source: Accommodation Statistics. Statistics Finland

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

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1.1. Capacity and its utilization, August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 1.2. Capacity and its utilization, January-August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 2.1. Nights spend in all establishments, August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 2.2. Nights spend in all establishments, January-August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 3.1. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 3.2. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, January-August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 4.1. Nights spend in hotels, August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 4.2. Nights spend in hotels, January-August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 5.1. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 5.2. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, January-August 2015 (22.10.2015)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spend in all establishments, 2015 (22.10.2015)

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Updated 22.10.2015