Home > Statistics > Accommodation statistics > 2018 > July > Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland decreased by 2.2 per cent in July

Published: 7 September 2018

Nights spent by foreign tourists in Finland decreased by 2.2 per cent in July

Despite big international events, overnight stays by foreign tourists decreased in Finnish accommodation establishments in July 2018. Good 798,000 nights spent were recorded for foreign visitors, which was 2.2 per cent lower than twelve months earlier. The number of nights spent by resident tourists went down by one per cent and totalled almost 2.3 million at accommodation establishments. In all, around 3.1 million overnight stays were recorded at Finnish accommodation establishments, which was 1.3 per cent lower than in July 2017. 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 July 2018/2017, %

Overnight stays by visitors from the USA and Spain increased most in July

Finnish accommodation establishments recorded 40,000 overnight stays for tourists from the United States and around 18,000 for Spanish visitors in July 2018. The number of nights spent by tourists from the United States increased by 10.9 per cent and those by Spanish tourists by 11.6 per cent from July last year. The number of recorded nights spent by tourists from the U.S. was highest in Uusimaa, around 31,500. Overnight stays by Spanish tourists also took place mainly in Uusimaa, where good 11,000 overnight stays were recorded for them. Nearly 354,000 overnight stays by foreign tourists were recorded in Uusimaa in July 2018, which was 0.4 per cent more than twelve months earlier. The share of Uusimaa in all nights spent by foreign visitors was 44 per cent.

Sweden, Germany and Russia were the biggest countries of tourism in July

Swedes were the largest group of foreign tourists with good 114,000 stays, although their overnight stays went down by 9.0 per cent from last year. Germans were the second biggest group and nearly 95,000 overnight stays were recorded for them at Finnish accommodation establishments, down by just 0.1 per cent from last year's July. Russians were third with close on 86,000 nights spent. The number of their overnight stays was 4.0 per cent lower than in July 2017. The above-mentioned visitors from the United States retained their fourth place with 40,000 overnight stays.

Nights spent by visitors from almost all the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland decreased in July. The Asian countries accounted for the biggest decreases in overnight stays. Overnight stays by Japanese visitors decreased by 11.9 per cent, and those by Chinese visitors by 10.8 per cent compared to the previous year. By contrast, in addition to the US and Spanish visitors, overnight stays among the most important countries of inbound tourism increased only for French and Italian tourists. Overnight stays by French visitors increased by 6.2 per cent and those by Italians by 1.7 per cent.

Examined by region, the total number of overnight stays increased in July most in South Ostrobothnia, up by 8.1 per cent. Overnight stays in Kainuu went up by 7.5 per cent. In Kanta-Häme and Ostrobothnia the growth amounted to five per cent in each. By contrast, the total number of overnight stays decreased in Varsinais-Suomi, by 8.4 per cent, and in Pohjois-Savo, by 6.5 per cent. Overnight stays in the whole country decreased in all by 1.3 per cent from last year.

Change in overnight stays in July by region 2018/2017, %

Overnight stays at hotels fell by 2.4 per cent in July

In July 2018, the total number of overnight stays in hotels was just under 2.1 million, which was 2.4 per cent lower than twelve months earlier. Overnight stays by foreign tourists decreased by 2.9 per cent and hotels recorded nearly 589,000 of them. Recorded nights spent by resident tourists in hotels numbered around 1.5 million. The number was 2.2 per cent lower than in July 2017.

The occupancy rate of hotel rooms was 61.5 per cent in July. One year earlier, it was 64.1 per cent. Among the regions, the highest occupancy rates of hotel rooms were measured in Satakunta, 76.5 per cent, and in Åland, 75.7 per cent. In Pori, the hotel room occupancy rate was 86.4 per cent and in Mariehamn, 86.6 per cent. The hotel room occupancy rate in Helsinki was 77.1 per cent.

In July 2018, the realised average price of a hotel room was EUR 99.98 per day for the whole country. Twelve months previously, it was EUR 95.17.

Hotel room occupancy rate and the monthly average price

Total number of nights spent at all accommodation establishments grew by 1.6 per cent in January to July 2018

Between January and July 2018, the number of nights spent at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled nearly 13.4 million. This was 1.6 per cent higher than in the corresponding period one year earlier. Slightly under 9.4 million overnight stays were recorded for resident tourists and around four million for non-resident tourists. The overnight stays of resident visitors increased by 1.5 per cent and those of non-resident visitors by 1.9 per cent from the previous year's corresponding period.

Russians were still the biggest country of inbound tourism to Finland. The number of nights recorded for Russian visitors at accommodation establishments in Finland totalled good half a million in January to July 2018, which was nearly the same number as in the respective period of 2017, up by just 0.2 per cent. Germans came next. Overnight stays recorded for Germans increased by 1.5 per cent from the corresponding period last year and totalled 393,000 at accommodation establishments. Swedish tourists came third with nearly 342,000 overnight stays. However, their number was 7.2 per cent lower than in January to July 2017. British tourists came fourth and accommodation establishments recorded around 274,000 overnight stays for them, which was 0.7 per cent down on the respective period of last year. French visitors kept their fifth position and good 203,500 nights were recorded for them. Chinese tourists came sixth with good 185,000 overnight stays. Overnight stays by French visitors increased by 8.4 per cent and those by Chinese visitors by 2.9 per cent. Overnight stays recorded at accommodation establishments for Dutch visitors totalled almost 173,500, which was 10.5 per cent more than in the corresponding period of the year before.

Among the most important countries of inbound tourism to Finland, overnight stays by Spanish visitors increased most in addition to Dutch visitors in January to July 2018. Overnight stays recorded for Spanish visitors numbered 85,000, which was 11.6 per cent more than in January to July 2017. In addition to those already mentioned above, the number of overnight stays at accommodation establishments recorded for tourists from the United States was good 164,000, which was 7.3 per cent more than one year before. The biggest drop came from overnight stays by Japanese visitors. They spent close on 111,000 nights at Finnish accommodation establishments, which was 14.0 per cent down on the same period twelve months earlier.

Change in overnight stays in January-July 2018/2017, %

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

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1.1. Capacity and its utilization, July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 1.2. Capacity and its utilization, January-July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 2.1. Nights spent in all establishments, July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 2.2. Nights spent in all establishments, January-July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 3.1. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 3.2. Hotel capacity and capacity utilization, January-July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 4.1. Nights spent in hotels, July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 4.2. Nights spent in hotels, January-July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 5.1. Visitor arrivals and nights spent by country of residence, July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 5.2. Visitor arrivals and nights spent by country of residence, January-July 2018 (7.9.2018)
• Appendix table 6. Nights spent in all establishments, 2018 (7.9.2018)

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Updated 7.9.2018