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Published: 9 June 2010

Tourism from abroad to Finland decreased in 2009

In 2009, Finland received 5.7 million foreign visitors. The number of foreign visitors decreased by six per cent from the year 2008. Foreign visitors brought nearly EUR 1.6 billion to Finland. This was approximately EUR 140 million less than in the previous year. These data derive from the Border Interview Survey by Statistics Finland and Finnish Tourist Board.

Table 1. Foreign passengers visiting Finland in 2005-2009

Country of residence	Year
	2005 (1000 pass.)	2006 (1000 pass.)	2007 (1000 pass.)	2008 (1000 pass.)	2009 (1000 pass.)	Change 2008-2009, per cent (%)
All visitors	5 038	5 345	5 736	6 072	5 695	-6
Russia	1 684	1 737	2 070	2 331	2 192	-6
Sweden	783	779	768	765	753	-2
Estonia	457	503	561	522	583	12
Germany	342	369	350	376	332	-12
Great Britain	233	317	312	316	267	-15
Norway	197	187	194	187	160	-14
Japan	98	89	103	105	142	36
Spain	88	79	83	116	123	6
United States	126	119	120	114	104	-8

The largest number of visitors came from Russia. 2.2 million, or a good third of all visitors to Finland, came from Russia. The second highest number, or 753,000 visitors, came from Sweden. The third highest number, or 583,000 visitors, came from Estonia. The number of visitors from Russia and Sweden decreased, but travel from Estonia increased. Six per cent of the foreign residents visiting Finland were Finnish citizens.

In 2009, 50 per cent of the foreign visitors to Finland were on leisure trips. Twelve per cent of all visitors to Finland came to see friends or relatives. A quarter of all foreign visitors to Finland came on business. Ten per cent of visitors were on a transit trip through Finland.

In 2009, foreigners stayed an average of 3.9 nights in Finland. Visitors from Russia, Estonia, Sweden and Germany spent the highest numbers of nights in Finland. Fourty per cent of the trips to Finland did not include an overnight stay. Visitors from Russia made the highest number of same-day visits to Finland. Half of the foreign travellers to Finland stayed at hotels or motels. Twenty-four per cent stayed with friends or relatives. Seventy-five per cent of business travellers stayed at hotels and motels as did half of the leisure travellers.

In 2009, the average amount of money foreign visitors spent while in Finland was EUR 278. This was EUR 6 less than in the previous year. Foreign visitors used EUR 2 more per day than in the previous year, EUR 57 on average.

Travelling to places of work in Finland still kept growing

In the border interview survey foreign passengers have been asked since 2005 whether they have a place of work in Finland. The question is presented if the target person lives permanently outside Finland and his or her main reason for visiting Finland is business. Foreign passengers who have lived or will live in Finland for more than 12 months are not interviewed in the survey. Moreover, visitors, who have a place of work in Finland, are asked how many times they have been to Finland during the last 12 months, how many nights they have spent in Finland, what type of accommodation they have used and how much money they have spent during this visit.

The amount of persons, who have a place of work in Finland but who live permanently in another country has more than doubled during the examined time period 2005–2009. In 2009, there were nearly 44 000 workers in Finland, whose permanent country of residence was other than Finland. This was approximately 8000 persons more than in the previous year. In 2009 approximately 21 000 persons who had a place of work in Finland had their permanent residence in Estonia, 7500 workers in Russia and 2700 workers in Poland. The fourth largest group was from Sweden, 1800 workers and the fifth largest group, 1200 workers, from Germany. In other countries than these five lived 9700 persons, who had a place of work in Finland.

Table 2. Foreign passengers travelling to a place of work in Finland 2005-2009 and their visits to Finland in 2009

Country of residence	Year
	2005 (1000 persons)	2006 (1000 persons)	2007 (1000 persons)	2008 (1000 persons)	2009 (1000 persons)	2009 (1000 visits)
All passengers	21,8	36,6	43,6	35,9	43,6	201,8
Estonia	11,2	15,7	20,6	17,9	20,8	111,0
Russia	5,8	12,3	9,3	6,8	7,5	32,0
Sweden	0,3	0,8	1,1	0,7	1,8	...
Poland	0,4	0,9	6,7	0,9	2,7	6,0
Germany	0,2	0,9	1,5	0,5	1,2	4,5
Other countries	4,0	5,9	4,4	9,0	9,7	30,0

In 2009 foreign passengers travelled to Finland because they had a place of work in Finland 200 000 times in total. A good half, 110 000 visits, were from Estonia. The second highest number, 32 000 visits, were from Russia.

Source: Border Interview Survey 2009, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Jyrki Krzywacki (09) 1734 2701, rajahaastattelut@stat.fi

Director in charge: Riitta Harala

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Tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Main reasons for foreign passengers to visit Finland in 2009 (9.6.2010)
• Appendix table 2. Length of stay by foreign passengers in Finland in 2009 (9.6.2010)
• Appendix table 3. Foreign passengers' length of stay in Finland, by country of residence, in 2009 (9.6.2010)
• Appendix table 4. Types of accommodation used by foreign passengers in Finland in 2009 (9.6.2010)
• Appendix table 5. Expenditure by foreign passengers in Finland in 2009 (9.6.2010)
• Appendix table 6. Expenditure by foreign passengers in Finland in 2009, by country of residence (9.6.2010)

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Updated 9.6.2010