More than one million visitors come to Kuusamo each year.
The Karhuntassu ("bear paw") information centre maintained by Metsähallitus is visited by 70,000 people each year, 60% of whom come in the summer.
The most popular summer travel destinations in Kuusamo are the rapids and the Karhunkierros hiking trail.
Tourism is the main source of income for 679 local residents, and leaves about EUR 83 million a year in the community.
There are 37,000 beds in various accomodation businesses in Kuusamo, 3,309 of which are hotel-standard. There are more than 6,000 cottages available.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 23.5.2005
