Home > Statistics > Finnish Travel > 2014 > Summer (1.5.-31.8) > Changeable summer weather pushed Finns to travel to Mediterranean countries in May to August 2014

Published: 7 October 2014

Changeable summer weather pushed Finns to travel to Mediterranean countries in May to August 2014

According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, Finnish residents travelled eagerly to Mediterranean countries in summer months 2014, and 23 per cent more trips were headed there than in the year before. However, the number of trips to Finns' favourite country, Estonia, fell by five per cent. Eight per cent fewer domestic trips with paid accommodation were made. Nevertheless, Varsinais-Suomi and North Ostrobothnia attracted Finnish residents.

Finns' leisure trips in May to August in 2003-2014*

In the second four months of 2014, Finnish residents aged 15 to 84 made nearly 16 million trips when all domestic and foreign leisure trips, as well as business and professional trips are included. In addition to trips with overnight stays, same-day trips abroad are also included in the number of trips.

Eleven million domestic leisure trips with overnight stay were made in the May to August period. Of these, 8.5 million were trips with free accommodation. Trips with overnight stay at paid accommodation numbered 2.7 million and the most population destinations were located in Uusimaa, Varsinais-Suomi and North Ostrobothnia.

Pirkanmaa and Lapland were less popular than in the previous year. In contrast, Varsinais-Suomi and North Ostrobothnia attracted Finnish residents and travelling to Varsinais-Suomi was as much as 24 per cent higher than one year ago. Six per cent more trips were made to North Ostrobothnia than a year earlier. In all, the number of trips with paid accommodation was eight per cent lower than in May to August of the previous year.

As before, July was the most popular month for travelling in the summer months, as more than one million domestic trips with paid accommodation were made at that time. Domestic travelling was, however, three per cent lower than last year, even though the whole of Finland enjoyed a heat wave in July.

A total of 3.2 leisure trips were made abroad in May to August. The figure includes trips with overnight stay in the destination country, cruises and same-day trips. Of the leisure trips abroad, 2,393,000 were trips with overnight stay in the destination country and 435,000 were cruises with overnight stay on board only. Nearly all cruises were made to Sweden or Estonia. In May to August, 345,000 same-day trips were made abroad, of which nearly two-thirds, or 209,000, were same-day cruises to Estonia.

During the summer months, 574,000 trips with overnight stay were headed to our southern neighbour Estonia and 400,000 to our western neighbour Sweden. The number of trips to Estonia went down by 12 per cent, but trips to Sweden increased by as much as 37 per cent from the year before. The number of trips to Russia diminished by 35 per cent.

Great Britain became the favourite travel destination in Western and Central Europe. In contrast, Germany and France lost some of their last year's popularity among Finnish tourists.

Many Finnish residents got scared off by Finland's freezing cold June and during the summer months 23 per cent more trips were made to northern Mediterranean countries than in the year before. Nearly 30 per cent more trips were made to Greece and Turkey. Italy, Continental Spain and the Balearic Islands also received more Finnish tourists than in the year before.

Trips with overnight stay in the destination country rose in total by four per cent from last year's May to August period. July was also the most popular month for travelling abroad, as then the number of trips abroad with overnight stay in the destination country was 818,000. In the most popular holiday month, six per cent more trips with overnight stay in the destination country were made than twelve months earlier.

In addition to leisure trips, one million domestic business or professional trips were made. Business or professional trips abroad (inclusive of trips with overnight stay in the destination country, cruises and same-day trips) numbered 0.5 million. The number of domestic business trips went down, but business trips abroad went up by ten per cent from last year.

These data derive from Statistics Finland's Finnish Travel survey for which altogether 5,119 Finnish residents aged 15 to 84 were interviewed in June, July, August and September. Until 2011, data were collected from those aged 15 to 74.

Source: Finnish Travel, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Taru Tamminen 029 551 2243, Mervi Härkönen 029 551 3254, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Hannele Orjala

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Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Trips of Finnish residents and changes in them in May-August 2014* (7.10.2014)
• Appendix table 2. Domestic leisure trips by destination region in May-August 2014* (7.10.2014)
• Appendix table 3. Means of transport used on domestic trips in May-August 2014* (7.10.2014)
• Appendix table 4. Leisure trips abroad (overnight in destination country) by destination in May-August 2014* and 2013 (7.10.2014)
• Appendix table 5. Trips abroad by reason and destination in May-August 2014* 1) (7.10.2014)
• Appendix table 6. Trips to Sweden and Estonia in May-August 2014* and 2013 (7.10.2014)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description: Finnish Travel 2014 (7.10.2014)

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Updated 7.10.2014