Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2015 > September > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 5.0 per cent in September

Published: 19 November 2015

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 5.0 per cent in September

The number of recorded nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments in September 2015 was 407,000, which was 5.0 per cent higher than in September 2014. Overnight stays by resident tourists increased by 3.3 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded nearly 1.2 million of them. The total number of nights spent in accommodation establishments was close on 1.6 million, which was 3.7 per cent more than twelve months earlier. 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 September 2015/2014, %

Swedish tourists were the largest group of foreign visitors in September with nearly 49,000 nights spent. The growth from last year amounted to 11.1 per cent. Germans came next with 37,000 nights spent, which was nearly 19.7 per cent more than twelve months earlier. Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by Russians decreased most, by 47.8 per cent. Good 36,500 overnight stays were recorded for Russians at Finnish accommodation establishments, which dropped them to the third biggest country to travel to Finland in September 2015. The strong growth in tourists from Asian countries contributed to the five per cent growth of overnight stays by all foreign tourists in September 2015.

Overnight stays recorded for Japanese visitors at accommodation establishments numbered 23,600, which was 30.3 per cent more than in September 2014. Overnight stays by Chinese tourists have increased throughout the year and in September they grew by 56.2 per cent. Overnight stays by Chinese visitors went up to around 20,000 nights. An equal number of overnight stays by tourists from the United States was recorded, down by 0.4 per cent from last year's September. Overnight stays at accommodation establishments recorded for British visitors totalled 22,700, which was 3.3 per cent more than one year before. In contrast, overnight stays by Estonian tourists continued to decrease, to 15,000 nights, which is 10.1 per cent lower than one year earlier.

By region, the total number of overnight stays increased in September most in Satakunta, up by 19.2 per cent. The number of overnight stays grew by 10.8 per cent in Åland and by 10.1 per cent in Central Ostrobothnia. The biggest decreases in overnight stays were recorded in South Karelia, 7.1 per cent, and in Etelä-Savo, 5.8 per cent. In the whole country, overnight stays increased by 3.7 per cent from September 2014.

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

Overnight stays in hotels increased by 3.4 per cent

In September 2015, the total number of nights spent in hotels was just under 1.3 million, which was 3.4 per cent higher than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 4.8 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded nearly 338,000 of them. Overnight stays by resident tourists increased by 2.9 per cent and hotels recorded nearly 935,000 of them in September 2015.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms in the whole country was 56.0 per cent in September. One year earlier, it was 54.5 per cent. Among the regions, the biggest occupancy rate of hotel rooms was measured in Uusimaa, 70.2 per cent. An occupancy rate of 57.9 per cent was recorded in North Ostrobothnia. In Pirkanmaa, 56.9 per cent of hotel rooms were in use. In Vantaa, the hotel room occupancy rate rose to 73.3 per cent and in Oulu to 71.6 per cent. The hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 76.8 per cent.

In September, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 91.59 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously, it was EUR 91.33.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments fell by 0.9 per cent in January to September

Between January and September 2015, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled close on 15.7 million. This was 0.9 per cent lower than in the corresponding period one year earlier. The number of nights spent by resident tourists increased slightly from one year ago, by 0.7 per cent, while that of nights spent by foreign tourists decreased by 4.9 per cent. Good 11.3 million overnight stays were recorded for resident tourists and 4.3 million overnight stays for non-resident tourists.

Between January and September, the number of nights spent by Russian visitors at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled 635,000, which was 43.1 per cent down on the respective time period of last year. However, Russians were the largest group of foreign visitors in January to September, while Swedish visitors came next with nearly 468,000 overnight stays. Overnight stays of Swedes went up by 4.9 per cent. In January to September, nearly 456,000 overnight stays were recorded for German visitors and close on 278,000 for British ones. The overnight stays of visitors from Germany increased by 8.1 per cent and those of visitors from Great Britain by 2.9 per cent from the previous year's corresponding period.

In January to September, overnight stays by French tourists numbered good 178,000, up by 4.8 per cent from the corresponding period of last year. In all, 165,000 overnight stays were recorded at accommodation establishments for visitors from the United States and nearly 155,000 for Norwegians. Overnight stays by Norwegian tourists increased by 6.6 per cent, while those by tourists from the United States decreased by 3.1 per cent from the corresponding period of 2014.

Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by Chinese visitors increased most, or by 43.7 per cent, during the January to September period. The number of their overnight stays rose almost on level with the Japanese. A total of 149,000 nights were recorded for Chinese visitors at accommodation establishments and good 153,000 for Japanese tourists.

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

Source: Accommodation Statistics. Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Marjut Tuominen 029 551 3556, Ossi Nurmi 029 551 2984, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

Publication in pdf-format (382.8 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, September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 1.2. Capacity and its utilization, January-September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 2.1. Nights spend in all establishments, September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 2.2. Nights spend in all establishments, January-September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 3.1. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 3.2. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, January-September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 4.1. Nights spend in hotels, September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 4.2. Nights spend in hotels, January-September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 5.1. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 5.2. Visitor arrivals and nights spend by country of residence, January-September 2015 (19.11.2015)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spend in all establishments, 2015 (19.11.2015)

---

Updated 19.11.2015