BACKGROUND: One pioneer may tempt in others
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By Leena Härkönen
Russia has a growing interest towards investing in Finland, and Russian ownership here will increase as and when the living standards back home rise still further.
The subject has been examined in a number of studies, including one carried out in Rovaniemi last summer. This showed how Russian ownership in Finland has thus far been regionally concentrated. In addition to the south-east, close to the border, and Northern Karelia, it appears that Northern Finland is increasingly coming into the picture.
Russians are involved in such fields as building log cabins and renting or selling holiday homes, and in restaurants and retailing.
Apartment and condo shares are also being bought up, and there is growing interest in investment in tourism.
Russians are building summer cabins in Southern Finland, and also in Lapland and across the border in Sweden, both for private use and as business investments.
In Finnish Lapland, for instance, there is already a Russian contact network that helps newcomers. In the typical case, one person acts as the seed to bring others into the area based on his or her favourable reviews.
For many Russian companies, Finland is seen as a bridgehead to developing operations further into the European market.
The probable next step is to see some haulage and bus companies shifting into Russian ownership, along with firms providing services for the tourism industry.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 22.12.2005
More on this subject:
 Russian hotel business moving into Finland
LEENA HÄRKÖNEN / Helsingin Sanomat
leena.harkonen@hs.fi
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