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Published: 28 March 2019

Finnish residents' travel to Southern Europe increased in 2018

According to Statistics Finland's survey, Finnish residents made 8.2 million different leisure trips abroad in 2018. Finnish residents’ travel to Estonia decreased clearly, but Southern Europe increased its popularity as a leisure destination. The number of various domestic leisure trips was 38 million. Domestic business trips decreased, but the number of business trips abroad grew.

Finnish residents’ travel in 2012 to 2018 (excl. domestic leisure trips with free accommodation)

Finnish residents' leisure trips abroad decreased slightly from the year before. The biggest reason for the fall was Estonia to which considerably fewer trips were made in 2018 than in the year before. Despite the strong decrease in travel, it retained its unswerving top position as a travel destination for Finns. Leisure trips to our western neighbour Sweden remained on level with the previous year, but trips to our eastern neighbour Russia decreased from the year before.

Among customary Southern European favourites, Italy and Croatia increased their appeal.

The number of trips heading outside Europe increased slightly. More tourists than before headed to the American continent and Asia and particularly the favourite Asian country, Thailand, received more Finnish tourists than in the previous year.

Finnish residents’ most popular destinations for leisure trips with overnight stay in the destination country in 2018, 2017 and 2016

The number of domestic trips with paid accommodation remained on level with the previous year. Nearly seven million of these trips were made in 2018. Short trips lasting under four nights decreased, but the number of trips with at least four nights increased from the previous year. As expected, summer months were the most popular time to travel in Finland.

One-fifth of trips with paid accommodation were made to the region of Uusimaa. The next most popular regions were Pirkanmaa and Lapland. The most popular towns were Helsinki, Tampere and Turku.

Compared with the previous year, nights spent at hotels and rented cottages increased somewhat from the previous year.

The most popular destination for trips with free accommodation was also Uusimaa. The next most popular destinations with free accommodation were Pirkanmaa and North Ostrobothnia.

The most popular destination regions for day trips in Finland were Uusimaa, Pirkanmaa and Southwest Finland. The most popular towns were Helsinki, Tampere and Turku.

The number of business trips in Finland decreased and abroad increased compared with the previous year.

Leisure trips of an average Finn in 2018:
     1.5 domestic leisure trips with paid accommodation,
     2.7 domestic same-day trips,
     1.4 trips abroad with overnight stay in the country of destination,
     0.4 same-day trips abroad or cruises to neighbouring areas.

Data collection

The data concerning travel derive from Statistics Finland's monthly Finnish Travel sample survey. In all, 13,539 persons aged 15 to 84 permanently resident in Finland were interviewed for the numbers of trips.

The numbers of persons who had travelled during the year were collected with an additional survey carried out in connection with the December interview concerning travelling. The data for the annual survey of 2018 are based on 1,146 interviews.

Additional tables are found in the PX Web database at:
http://pxnet2.stat.fi/PXWeb/pxweb/en/StatFin/StatFin__lii__smat

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

Publication in pdf-format (374.7 kB)

Reviews

• 1. Trips abroad (28.3.2019)
• 2. Domestic trips (28.3.2019)
• 3. Travel reservations (28.3.2019)
• 4. Numbers of trips have changed much in ten years (28.3.2019)
• 5. Ninety-one per cent of Finns made at least one trip in 2018 (28.3.2019)

Tables

Tables in databases

Pick the data you need into tables, view the data as graphs, or download the data for your use.

• Database tables and their variables
• Archived tables

Appendix tables

• Appendix table 1. Overnight stay trips by Finnish residents in 2012 to 2018 (28.3.2019)
• Appendix table 2. Leisure trips abroad (overnight in destination country) by most popular destinations in 2012 to 2018 (28.3.2019)
• Appendix table 3. Business trips abroad by destination country in 2016 to 2018 (28.3.2019)
• Appendix table 4. Trips abroad by cause and destination in 2018 and its change (28.3.2019)
• Appendix table 5. Bookings of transportation via internet in 2018 (28.3.2019)
• Appendix table 6. Bookings of accommodation via internet in 2018 (28.3.2019)

Quality descriptions

• Quality description: Finnish Travel 2018 (28.3.2019)

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Updated 28.3.2019