Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2017 > September > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 11.3 per cent in September 2017

Published: 16 November 2017

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland up by 11.3 per cent in September 2017

Nights spent by foreign tourists at Finnish accommodation establishments continued growing, by 11.3 per cent from last year and good 471,000 nights were recorded for them in September 2017. The number of nights spent by resident tourists went up by 1.7 per cent and totalled good 1.2 million at accommodation establishments. A total of 1.7 million overnight stays were recorded at Finnish accommodation establishments in September 2017, which was 4.2 per cent more than one year 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 2017/2016, %

Strong growth in overnight stays continued in September for visitors from China, the United States and Great Britain

Nearly 30,000 overnight stays were recorded for Chinese visitors at Finnish accommodation establishments, which was 25.3 per cent more than in September 2016. The number of recorded nights spent by them was highest in Uusimaa, around 24,000. Overnight stays by visitors from the USA increased by one-fifth and accommodation establishments recorded good 27,000 nights spent for them in September 2017. Overnight stays by tourists from the USA also took place mainly in Uusimaa, where 21,500 overnight stays were recorded for them. Overnight stays by British tourists increased by 22.7 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded good 25,000 of them. The share of Uusimaa in all nights spent by British visitors was over 70 per cent. The share of Uusimaa in all nights spent by foreign visitors in September rose close to 58 per cent.

Sweden, Russia and Germany the biggest countries of inbound tourism in September

The top three continued strong in September; only the order changed. Swedish tourists were the largest group of foreign visitors with close on 50,000 nights spent. Their overnight stays increased by 5.5 per cent from the year before. Russians came second and 43,000 overnight stays were recorded for them at Finnish accommodation establishments, which was 9.0 per cent more than one year before. Germans came third with close on 41,000 overnight stays. Overnight stays by German visitors grew most in September, by as much as 26.9 per cent. Chinese visitors were fourth and Japanese tourists fifth, for whom over 28,000 overnight stays were recorded. The number was 8.2 per cent higher than one year previously.

Nights spent by visitors from almost all the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland increased in September. In addition to those already mentioned above, the number of nights spent by Spanish tourists increased by 18.3 per cent and nights spent by French visitors by 15.5 per cent from September 2016. Only overnight stays by Norwegian visitors declined by 2.7 per cent in September 2017 and those by Estonian tourists remained on the same level as in September 2016.

Examined by region, overnight stays increased in September most in Kymenlaakso, 18.1 per cent, and in Uusimaa, 14.9 per cent. The growth in overnight stays in Satakunta and Varsinais-Suomi was around 14 per cent in both. By contrast, the total number of overnight stays decreased in Central Ostrobothnia, by 12.1 per cent, and in Etelä-Savo, by 11.7 per cent. In the whole country, overnight stays increased by 4.2 per cent from September 2016.

Change in overnight stays in September by region 2017/2016, %

Hotel stays increased by 4.8 per cent in September year-on-year

In September 2017, the total number of nights spent in hotels was 1.4 million, which was 4.8 per cent more than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 14.0 per cent and hotels recorded a total of nearly 406,000 of them. Overnight stays at accommodation establishments recorded for resident tourists totalled around one million, which was 1.4 per cent more than one year before.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms was 59.4 per cent in September. One year earlier, it was 57.8 per cent. Among the regions, the highest occupancy rates of hotel rooms were measured in Uusimaa, 77.6 per cent, and Varsinais-Suomi, 65.9 per cent. In Vantaa, the hotel room occupancy rate was 82.0 per cent and in Turku 70.1 per cent. The hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 83.0 per cent.

In September 2017, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 100.73 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously, it was EUR 97.96.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments grew by 5.1 per cent in January to September 2017

In January to September 2017, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled nearly 17 million. This was 5.1 per cent higher than in the corresponding period one year earlier. In total, 11.8 million overnight stays were recorded for resident tourists and around five million overnight stays for non-resident tourists. The overnight stays of resident visitors increased by 1.4 per cent and those of non-resident visitors by 14.8 per cent from the previous year's January to September.

The number of nights spent by Russian visitors at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled nearly 631,000 in January to September 2017, which was 16.8 per cent up on the respective period of 2016. They were the biggest country of inbound tourism to Finland. Germans came second with 520,000 overnight stays. The figure went up by 14.7 per cent from January to September 2016. Swedes were in third position with 495,000 overnight stays. Their overnight stays increased by 7.4 per cent. British visitors came next with close on 340,000 overnight stays. The increase from the corresponding period last year was 23.9 per cent. Overnight stays by Dutch and Spanish visitors also grew strongly in January to September. Overnight stays by Dutch tourists increased by 29.0 per cent and accommodation establishments recorded 187,000 of them. Overnight stays recorded for Spanish visitors numbered 108,000, which was 17.5 per cent more than in January to September 2016.

Nights spent at Finnish accommodation establishments by visitors from all the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland increased in January to September 2017. Of these, overnight stays by Chinese visitors grew most and rose to 249,000 nights, which was 36.9 per cent more than in the corresponding period in 2016. In addition to Chinese visitors, over 200,000 overnight stays were recorded for tourists from France and the USA, which was 14 to 16 per cent more that in January to September 2016.

Change in overnight stays in January-September 2017/2016, %

Source: Accommodation Statistics. Statistics Finland

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

Director in charge: Sami Saarikivi

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1.1. Capacity and its utilization, September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 1.2. Capacity and its utilization, January-September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 2.1. Nights spent in all establishments, September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 2.2. Nights spent in all establishments, January-September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 3.1. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 3.2. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, January-September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 4.1. Nights spent in hotels, September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 4.2. Nights spent in hotels, January-September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 5.1. Visitor arrivals and nights spent by country of residence, September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 5.2. Visitor arrivals and nights spent by country of residence, January-September 2017 (16.11.2017)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spent in all establishments, 2017 (16.11.2017)

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Updated 16.11.2017