Tourism in Lapland more successful than anticipated

”We should have brought our own drinks”, jokes Briton Karen Green, surrounded by markedly cold weather (-15°C) at the foot of the Levitunturi Fell.
      This is the first trip to Lapland for Green and her husband Beano Green, as well as their friends Stephanie and Nick Long.
      The prices in Finland terrify the Britons, as particularly alcohol is wildly expensive.
      ”The euro exchange rate against sterling [the British pound] really sucks!” notes Karen Green.
      During the Christmas season two years ago, a pound was still worth EUR 1.49, while last year it was EUR 1.39. Today the rate is only EUR 1.11, and it is now slipping down even further.
     
It has been obvious in Levi’s small boutiques and restaurants that their British guests have this year been thriftier than in previous winters.
      ”If they previously bought a product costing EUR 10, they are now buying something that costs only two euros”, says Marjut Paksuniemi, a sales assistant at Levitori, a local souvenir shop.
     
The Greens and the Longs have saved money on accommodation and activities.
      ”We chose the cheapest hotel, which at first caused a minor shock ”, Karen Green reports.
      Moreover, reindeer and husky dogsleigh rides and an overnight at the ice hotel, which were all in the original holiday itinerary, will also be skipped this time.
      ”We will use the money for eating in restaurants and spend our time on the slopes”, she adds.
     
Managing Director Jyrki Niva of Lapland Safaris, a local provider of programme services, reports that the thriftiness of Britons has not had any significant influence on their services.
      Unlike the Greens and the Longs, most Britons have bought a holiday package which includes a number of services.
      ”A small dent is prediced in sales, but the Christmas season was a lot better than we dared expect”, Niva estimates.
      On the other hand, the number of Russian and French tourists increased, consuming almost as much as normal and patching up the gaps made by the reluctance of British guests to open their wallets.
     
The number of charter tourists to Lapland declined by some 18 per cent from the previous year. The sharpest fall of some 26 per cent was registered at the Ivalo airport.
      ”In particular Russian tourists would appear to have used cars more than usually”, Niva says.
      In spite of the financial storm the current winter could turn out to be quite reasonable for Finnish Lapland, as the good snow conditions are bound to contribute to the success of tourism.
     
The domestic demand for the upcoming spring season also seems promising. Thanks to inexpensive fuel, especially Finnish motorists are expected to turn up in tourist centres in Lapland.
      The effects of the recession period are likely to be felt no sooner than next Christmas, if the sales of Christmas trips will not continue in the spring and next autumn as briskly as previously.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  A de luxe wedding in Lapland (18.3.2008)
  Weddings could be Lapland tourism industry´s next trump card (5.3.2008)
  Santa Tourism Superpower (19.12.2006)
  Finnish Lapland strives to excel in adventure travel (9.8.2005)

Links:
  Levi
  Lapland Safaris