Home > Statistics > Finnish Travel > 2018 > 2. Domestic trips

2. Domestic trips

2.1. Number of domestic leisure trips with paid accommodation remained on level with the previous year

In 2018, some 6.8 million leisure trips were made in Finland during which paid accommodation services, such as hotels, camping sites or rented cottages, were used at least once. The total number remained at the same level as in the previous year. However, the length of trips changed. The number of short trips with one to three nights decreased, but the number of trips with at least four nights increased.

Examined by age group, persons aged 25 to 44 increased their domestic trips, while those aged over 45 decreased their travelling in the home country.

Finns' favourite holiday destinations in Finland were Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa and Lapland. Trips to Uusimaa numbered 1.2 million, or 18 per cent of all trips with paid accommodation. Twelve per cent of trips were headed to Pirkanmaa and Lapland.

More leisure trips were made to Lapland in 2018 than in the year before. Lapland attracted tourists around the year but the most popular time to travel there was in March to enjoy spring skiing. July was also a popular time in Lapland. When travelling in the rest of Finland, the most popular times for travelling were the summer months. Sixteen per cent of trips with paid accommodation in Finland were made in July.

Domestic tourists were interested in big towns, because more than three out of four trips to Uusimaa were made to Helsinki. Of trips to Pirkanmaa, more than four out of five were headed to Tampere and of trips to Southwest Finland, nearly two out of three to Turku.

In Finland, passenger cars were the most usual means of transport as nearly 80 per cent of trips were made with passenger cars. Travelling by train increased from the previous year. Travel by other public transport, such as bus or plane, decreased.

The number of nights spent during domestic leisure trips involving paid accommodation totalled 17.2 million, which was more than in 2017. Of overnight stays, 63 per cent took place in hotels, holiday villages and camping sites, and 36 per cent in rented cottages or Airbnb.

2.2. Trips with free accommodation to big towns

Nineteen million overnight leisure trips with free accommodation were made in Finland, i.e. to own free-time residences or to relatives or friends. The number of these trips with free accommodation decreased slightly the previous year.

Of the trips with free accommodation, good three million were made to Uusimaa, and one-half of them to Helsinki. 1.7 million trips with free accommodation were made to Pirkanmaa and one-half of them to Tampere. A total of 1.5 million trips were made to Southwest Finland and four of ten to Turku. Trips with free accommodation to North Ostrobothnia numbered 1.7 million.

The high season for trips with free accommodation was the summer months, as good one-third of trips with free accommodation were made in June to August in 2018.

2.3. Domestic day trips

A total of 12.2 million day trips were made in Finland in 2018. The most popular destination regions for day trips were Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa and Southwest Finland. Every second day trip to Uusimaa was headed to Helsinki. Of trips to Pirkanmaa, 58 per cent went to Tampere and 46 per cent of trips to Southwest Finland to Turku.

2.4. Factors influencing the selection of the domestic travel destination

Domestic leisure trips in which holiday was given as the reason numbered 17.1 million in 2018. Of them, 5.5 million were day trips, 5.3 million trips with paid overnight stay and 6.3 million trips with free accommodation.

In the survey it was possible to mention at most two reasons for selecting the domestic travel destination. The most significant factor influencing the selection of the travel destination was nature, because good one quarter said it had influenced them in selecting the travel destination. Nature had an effect on selecting the travel destination particularly in trips with free accommodation, which are such as trips to free-time residences and trips to friends and relatives.

One's own well-being and cultural services had an effect on selecting the travel destination for one-fifth of domestic trips. In trips with paid accommodation, cultural services had an effect on the selection of the travel destination for every third tourist.

Culture or shopping had mostly an effect on day trips made for leisure.

2.5. Domestic business trips

A total of 3.5 million business trips with overnight stay and 3.9 million same-day business trips were made in Finland in 2018. Fewer domestic business trips with overnight stay were made than in 2017.

Domestic business trips were typically very short. Fifty-four per cent of the trips lasted only for one day and 26 per cent for only one night.

Domestic business trips were usually made by one's car, as 67 per cent of the trips were made by passenger car. Nineteen per cent of business trips were made by train and eight per cent by airplane.

Source: Finnish Travel, Statistics Finland

Inquiries: Taru Tamminen 029 551 2243, Ossi Nurmi 029 551 2984, liikenne.matkailu@stat.fi

Director in charge: Mari Ylä-Jarkko

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Updated 28.3.2019