Finland to make ATM debut as the number of
visitors from the UAE increased by 30% to almost 10,000 in 2017; Finnish delegation
to include a range of unique hotels and resorts, high-end tours and DMCs
The
Finnish tourist authority, Visit Finland, has highlighted an increase in global
and UAE visitor numbers as the government entity makes its debut on the
exhibition floor at ATM with a new marketing campaign aimed at Middle East
tourists, contributing to what is hoped will be a record year for tourism
numbers in 2018.
Speaking
at a press conference during Arabian Travel Market , Visit Finland
representative, Teemu Ahola commented: “2017 was another excellent year for the
Finnish tourism industry with nearly 22 million visitors, growth of 7% over the
2016 figures when tourists topped 20.3 million. However, we have already seen
an increase in 2018 visitors of 3.1% compared to this time last year, so we are
confident our tourism numbers, and receipts, will eclipse the successes of 2017.”
The
increase in UAE visitors, explained Ahola, is in part due to an increase in
direct flights to the Finnish capital, Helsinki. Finnair, the national carrier
of Finland has committed to repeating its Dubai to Helsinki route later this
year, flying between October 2018 and March 2019, while Turkish Airlines has a
route between the UAE and Finland via Istanbul. Flydubai is also set to launch
a new route which will increase capacity still further during the winter
months.
Finland
has long been a popular destination within the European market, however Visit
Finland is now keen to explore other markets and have identified the Middle
East where the UAE, followed by Saudi Arabia, already make up the bulk of GCC
visitors.
“After
a positive response from ATM last year, where we took the opportunity to garner
a better understanding of the region and research the potential outbound
markets, we have returned with a dedicated marketing campaign for the Middle
East and we’re showcasing some of the leading hotels, resorts and DMCs Finland
has to offer in a bid to pique the interest of the market even further,” added
Ahola.
Exhibiting
on Stand number EU6825 in Hall 7,
Finland’s delegation will be showcasing the country as a year-round
destination, with a plethora of leisure activities, unique accommodation and
tours throughout the summer and winter.
Known
as the home of a thousand lakes, Finland is renowned for its vast green forests,
long coastline, and one of the world’s largest archipelagos. During the summer
months golf, food foraging, canoeing and sailing are very popular, when the
season changes to autumn, hiking, climbing and wildlife watching become part of
the draw.
In
winter, husky and reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobile safaris, ice driving
experiences, the Northern Lights, ice-breaker cruises and of course, meeting
Santa Claus are always popular attractions for tourists every year.
Finland
was recently voted the safest country in the world for holidaymakers in 2017 by
the World Economic Forum, one place ahead of the UAE, while Lonely Planet
nominated Finland as one of the top tourist destinations in the world.
“Finland
has something unique that differentiates it as a holiday destination, from the
rest of the world. We offer a wealth of exceptional accommodation options, in a
safe and hospitable environment, with some of the most breath-taking vistas. The
fresh, clean air, the great outdoors and the wintery conditions during the
colder months is something we believe Middle East visitors will find
particularly enchanting,” said Ahola.
Those
exhibiting on the Visit Finland stand include Timetravels Incoming Ltd.,
Lapland Luxury DMC, DMC Easy Travel, Artic Travel Boutique Ltd., and Levi
Destination Marketing & Sales, all Finnish tour operators and marketing
companies offering high-end tailor-made experiential travel tours where the
Northern Lights, Midnight Sun and vast nature offering are just part of the
experiences available.
Representatives
of top class Finnish accommodation will also be on show, including Kakslauttanen
Artic Resort, located 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in Lapland and providing
guests with the opportunity to stay in Glass Igloos and take part in reindeer
and husky excursions. The Arctic Treehouse Hotel will also be showcasing its
resort of 32 individual suites housed in cleverly designed wooden,
shingle-tiled cube units, with one side comprised completely of a panoramic
window to view the Northern Lights.
Kämp
Collection Hotels will be highlighting a range of Helsinki-based luxurious
properties, including the only official five-star hotel in Helsinki, Hotel Kämp,
as well as the soon-to-be-opened, Hotel St. George, the latest addition to
Helsinki’s tourism offering. Rounding out the accommodation showcase is
Scandic, who recently completed the acquisition of all Restel’s hotel operations
to become the largest hotel operator in Finland.
Visit
Finland will be exhibiting at Arabian Travel Market from Sunday 22nd
– Wednesday 25th on Stand number EU6825 in Hall 7.
For
further information please visit www.visitfinland.com
Tags:Visit Finland