Helsinki has great expectations for this year’s travel business

The theme of design is combined with sports events; a record year is in prospect

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By Hannele Tulonen
     
      At the moment, Helsinki is being boosted as a tourist city.
      The recent choice of Helsinki as the world’s second best travel destination by The New York Times is one of the stimuli for some great expectations for the coming summer season.
      A fine tourism year is in the offing, believes Tuulikki Becker, Head of Communications at the Helsinki City Tourist and Convention Bureau.
     
The ongoing World Design Capital Year will bring to the city both Finnish and foreign design tourists.
      The Finnish capital will host a number of conferences in various fields, while also being the venue for the Ice Hockey World Championships in May and the European Athletics Championships at the end of June.
      The number of tourists has been estimated to grow by about five per cent.
      The Design Year 2012 programme will be combined with events in various fields.
      In May, an attempt will be made to knock the socks off visitors to the Ice Hockey World Championships by food-related design both in Helsinki and Stockholm.
      Further culinary experiences will be created by arranging a special pop-up restaurant day in Helsinki during the championships.
     
Last year a record-number of 3.4 million travellers stayed overnight in Helsinki.
      According to Becker, the record was not a consequence of any special major events, but just a result of the growing volume of recreational tourism.
      When it comes to cruise ships and ferries arriving in Helsinki, the barrier of 10 million tourists was broken, which is also a new record.
      The number of flight passengers arriving in the country was more than 13 million.
      The hotel capacity in the Greater Helsinki area has increased, for example thanks to the new hotels which have been completed in Vantaa.
      Tourism professionals think that the number of hotels could be increased at an even brisker pace.
     
Last year, Helsinki missed the chance to organise a couple of large conferences, as it was feared that there would not be enough accommodation to go round.
      Because of the recent recession years, the hotels nevertheless continue to be cautious.
      A few years back the number of rooms was increased at a steady clip, until the recession came along as a nasty surprise to all. Since then, hotels have wanted to play safe and maintain a high occupancy rate.
      The most recent dive occurred in 2009.
     
”Last year the numbers of tourists were fairly good” , says Lasse Lindevall, Commercial Director of the Cumulus hotel chain.
      In spite of the growth in visitor volume, hotel accommodation is not yet being sold at such good rates as in the best days. ”We are still some way from the fat years", Lindevall adds.
      In addition to the visitor numbers, other factors having an impact on the cash flow include for example the tourists’ length of stay and the services they use.
      For conferences, reservations are made in good time, but businessmen travelling alone sometimes make a room reservation just a couple of days prior to their arrival.
      The financial situation may have a major impact on their plans.
      ”Today, it seems much brighter than at the end of last year”, Lindevall says, describing how difficult the travel business can be during times of uncertainty.
     
About 3,000 participants have registered for the World Library and Information Congress in Helsinki in August 2012.
      A large number of smaller conferences will also be arranged throughout the summer.
      ”We have got our hopes up”, says Director Christer Skjäl from the Scandic hotel chain, referring to the WDC year.
      ”Helsinki seems to have gained a lot of positive publicity”, Skjäl adds.
      However, the global market situation will make predictions somewhat difficult.
      When the hockey finals come closer, the demand for rooms will certainly be higher than the supply, he believes.
     
     
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 15.1.2012


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Helsinki tourism clearly up in 2010 (25.2.2011)
  Record number of foreign cruise ships again visited Helsinki this summer (17.11.2009)
  New York Times ranks Helsinki as second-best among 45 travel destinations in 2012 (10.1.2012)
  Celebrations in Helsinki´s Senate Square mark opening of 2012 World Design Capital year (2.1.2012)

See also:
  World Design Capital Helsinki 2012 is looking forward to getting some content (7.6.2011)
  COMMENTARY: World Design Capital year has to be brought to street level (7.6.2011)

Links:
  World Design Capital Helsinki 2012
  World Library and Information Congress
  European Athletics Championships 2012
  IIHF World Championships 2012

HANNELE TULONEN / Helsingin Sanomat
hannele.tulonen@hs.fi