Finland entered 2026 with a stronger international tourism position after foreign overnight stays reached a new annual record in 2025, while visitor demand from India, the United States, Japan and China all increased. The recovery is particularly significant for Finnish Lapland, where the Northern Lights, husky safaris and local cuisine are being promoted to international travellers seeking distinctive winter experiences.
The latest official tourism figures show that Finland recorded about 23.3 million overnight stays in registered accommodation in 2025. Foreign overnight stays rose by 13% year on year to approximately 7.2 million, while domestic overnight stays declined slightly. The figures point to an increasingly international tourism market, with long-haul destinations playing a growing role in Finland’s recovery.
The trend also provides important context for comments made at ITB India 2026 by Valtteri Inkila, Administration Manager of Northern Lights Village in Finnish Lapland. Speaking about his experience at the Indian travel trade exhibition, Inkila said he had encountered strong interest from travel agents and described the business environment as positive.
According to Statistics Finland, Finland recorded approximately 23.3 million overnight stays in registered accommodation in 2025. Foreign overnight stays increased by 13% year on year to around 7.2 million, while domestic overnight stays declined slightly.
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The longer-term comparison makes the shift clearer. Foreign overnight stays rose from approximately 6.0 million in 2023 to 6.4 million in 2024 and 7.2 million in 2025. Domestic overnight stays moved in the opposite direction, falling from roughly 17.0 million in 2023 to 16.3 million in 2024 and 16.1 million in 2025.
The result is a tourism market increasingly supported by overseas demand rather than domestic growth.
Visit Finland’s 2025 market data show particularly notable increases from several long-haul markets:Market 2024 overnight stays 2025 overnight stays Approx. change United States 445,100 494,300 +11% Japan 141,100 205,900 +46% China & Hong Kong 198,200 239,700 +21% India 103,100 127,100 +23%
The figures establish a clear year-on-year recovery across these markets, although their individual recovery levels differ. China/Hong Kong and Japan, for example, remained below their 2019 levels, while India’s 2025 overnight-stay figure was above its 2019 benchmark.
Finland’s tourism performance in 2025 was driven principally by international visitors.
According to Statistics Finland, foreign overnight stays increased for the third consecutive year, rising from roughly 6.0 million in 2023 to 6.4 million in 2024 and approximately 7.2 million in 2025. That represents a substantial recovery in international demand over the two-year period.
The broader accommodation market was comparatively stable. Total overnight stays reached around 23.3 million in 2025, compared with approximately 22.7 million in 2024. Domestic overnight stays, however, continued to soften, falling from around 17 million in 2023 to approximately 16.3 million in 2024 and 16.1 million in 2025.
This distinction is important. Finland’s latest tourism growth cannot simply be described as a broad increase in every segment of the domestic and international market. Rather, the strongest momentum is coming from overseas visitors.
For the Finnish tourism industry, that makes international air connectivity, destination marketing and long-haul source markets increasingly important.
Finland’s Lapland is positioning itself as an increasingly appealing destination for Indian travellers, with the Northern Lights, husky safaris and local cuisine emerging as key experiences. At ITB India 2026, Valtteri Inkila, Administration Manager of Northern Lights Village in Lapland, spoke about the interest he has seen among Indian travel trade visitors and the experiences he believes should be on their Finland itineraries.
For many international visitors, seeing the Northern Lights is closely associated with a trip to Finnish Lapland. Inkila described the phenomenon as the experience that “everybody should see”, highlighting its continuing importance in attracting travellers to the region.
The Northern Lights are not the only experience being promoted. According to Inkila, husky safaris are another activity visitors should consider when travelling to Lapland.
The combination of winter landscapes and outdoor experiences gives Lapland a distinct tourism proposition, particularly for travellers seeking experiences beyond conventional sightseeing.
Husky safaris were specifically mentioned by Inkila as one of the experiences Indian travellers should explore in Finland.
The activity offers visitors an opportunity to experience Lapland’s winter environment from a different perspective. For destinations such as Northern Lights Village, such experiences can complement aurora-focused travel by giving visitors additional activities during their stay.
Inkila’s comments suggest that Lapland’s appeal is not built around a single attraction but around a broader collection of winter experiences.
Food was another area highlighted during the conversation.
Inkila encouraged Indian visitors to try Finnish cuisine, particularly local Lapish dishes. He also referred to the strong interest Indians have in food, suggesting that culinary experiences could form an important part of a Lapland holiday.
This presents an opportunity for Finnish destinations to showcase regional cuisine alongside the more familiar attractions of snow, forests and the Northern Lights. For Indian travellers, trying local food can add a cultural dimension to an itinerary rather than making the trip solely activity-focused.
Inkila said he encountered several recurring perceptions about Finland during the exhibition. One of the comments he heard was that Finland is “very cold” and that Finnish people are “shy”.
The weather perception is understandable given Lapland’s location in northern Finland. Inkila noted that temperatures can become extremely cold, saying that temperatures have reached minus 40 degrees Celsius and, at their coldest, minus 52 degrees Celsius.
However, he also indicated that Indian travel agents and trade visitors were excited about Finland as a destination.
Perhaps the most significant takeaway from the interview was Inkila’s observation that many of the agents he met expressed interest in Finland and said that people want to visit the country.
His comments came during ITB India 2026, providing a direct perspective from a Lapland tourism representative engaging with India’s travel trade.
Rather than suggesting a specific growth figure or claiming that Indian arrivals are already surging, the interview points to positive trade interest and traveller curiosity around Finland.
That distinction is important. The comments represent Inkila’s experience at the exhibition and should not be interpreted as official statistics on Indian tourism to Finland.
Northern Lights Village’s participation at ITB India reflects the importance of meeting travel professionals in the Indian market directly.
For Lapland operators, India offers an audience interested in international leisure travel and distinctive experiential holidays. Conversations with agents at trade exhibitions can help tourism businesses understand traveller expectations while giving the Indian travel trade greater exposure to destinations and products.
Inkila described his experience in India positively, saying that he likes India and praising the people he met as “very social” and “very talkative”. He also characterised the business interaction at the exhibition positively.
Inkila’s message is straightforward: travellers visiting Finland should look beyond the destination’s cold-weather reputation and experience what Lapland has to offer.
The Northern Lights remain the headline attraction, while husky safaris provide an adventure component and Finnish and Lapish cuisine offer a way to connect with local culture.
His comments at ITB India 2026 do not establish that Finland has already become a major mass-market destination for Indian travellers. They do, however, reveal encouraging interest among travel trade professionals and highlight the experiences that Lapland’s tourism representatives are using to engage the Indian market.
For travellers willing to embrace extreme winter conditions, Finnish Lapland offers a distinctive combination of aurora viewing, husky adventures and regional food. And according to Inkila, Indian travel agents he met in India are showing genuine interest in discovering more of it.
India is one of the markets showing a notable increase in demand for Finland.
Visit Finland’s statistics show that Indian visitors generated approximately 127,100 overnight stays in 2025, compared with about 103,100 in 2024. That represents an increase of approximately 23%.
The 2025 figure was also above India’s 2019 level, when the market recorded approximately 102,400 overnight stays.
The numbers do not mean that India has suddenly become one of Finland’s largest tourism markets by volume. Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the United States and France remained among Finland’s leading international source markets. However, the Indian market’s recovery is notable because its 2025 overnight-stay volume exceeded the pre-pandemic benchmark.
That creates an important backdrop for the Finnish tourism industry’s engagement with India’s travel trade.
At ITB India 2026, Inkila said that several agents he met told him that people wanted to visit Finland. He did not provide a specific booking figure or claim that Indian arrivals were surging as a direct consequence of the exhibition.
His comments instead offer a trade-level perspective that is broadly consistent with the official tourism statistics showing increased Indian overnight stays.
For Finnish Lapland, the Northern Lights remain one of the most powerful tourism propositions.
During the ITB India interview, Inkila described the Northern Lights as an experience that “everybody should see”. His description reflects the central role that aurora viewing plays in the region’s international tourism appeal.
The Northern Lights are, of course, a natural phenomenon rather than a guaranteed attraction. Visibility depends on factors including darkness, cloud cover, solar activity and location. Nevertheless, the opportunity to experience the aurora in a northern winter environment has become closely associated with travel to Finnish Lapland.
For tourism businesses, the appeal extends beyond simply watching the sky. Accommodation, guided excursions, outdoor activities and other local experiences can turn aurora viewing into a wider holiday proposition.
That broader proposition is particularly relevant as international travellers increasingly seek experiential rather than purely sightseeing-focused trips.
Inkila also identified husky safaris as an experience Indian travellers should explore.
Dog-sledding and husky excursions give visitors another way to experience Lapland’s winter environment. They also diversify an itinerary that might otherwise centre almost entirely on Northern Lights viewing.
This is commercially significant because a destination’s appeal becomes more resilient when visitors have multiple experiences available during a stay.
A Lapland itinerary can combine aurora excursions with husky safaris, snow-based activities, wilderness experiences and opportunities to discover regional food and culture. The exact activities available vary by operator, season and weather conditions.
For travel advisers selling Finland to Indian consumers, that variety provides scope to build itineraries around different traveller profiles rather than presenting Lapland solely as an aurora destination.
Food was another point Inkila raised during the conversation.
He encouraged Indian travellers to try Finnish food and specifically suggested sampling Lapish dishes. He also referred to Indians’ strong interest in food, making cuisine part of his pitch for visiting Finland.
The suggestion is significant because culinary tourism can provide travellers with a connection to place that extends beyond landscapes and attractions.
Lapland has its own regional food traditions, and introducing visitors to local dishes can help tourism operators communicate the identity of the destination. For international travellers, the opportunity to try regional cuisine can become an important part of the overall travel story.
For Indian visitors, this could complement the more familiar themes of snow and the Northern Lights by adding a cultural and gastronomic element to the journey.
Not every perception about Finland is centred on its attractions.
Inkila said one of the recurring comments from Indian trade visitors was that Finland is “very cold” and that Finnish people are “shy”.
The first perception is particularly relevant to Lapland. Inkila noted that temperatures can become exceptionally low, recalling conditions reaching minus 40 degrees Celsius and, at the most extreme, minus 52 degrees Celsius.
Such temperatures are not representative of every day or every part of Finland, and travellers should not interpret the figures as normal conditions throughout the country. However, extreme winter cold is a genuine consideration when planning a Lapland holiday.
That makes preparation essential. Appropriate thermal clothing, footwear, layering and advice from local operators are important for visitors undertaking outdoor activities.
The cold itself can also form part of the destination experience, provided travellers understand the conditions and prepare appropriately.
Finland’s tourism performance also coincided with stronger international aviation connectivity.
Finnair expanded its US capacity for summer 2025, increasing services to several major American cities. Chicago was scheduled to receive up to daily service, while Dallas was increased to as many as 11 flights per week. Seattle and Los Angeles also received additional weekly frequencies.
Finavia’s official 2025 route listing confirmed direct Helsinki connections with Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Seattle.
The United States was already an important source market for Finland. Visit Finland recorded approximately 494,300 US overnight stays in 2025, compared with around 445,100 in 2024, an increase of approximately 11%.
Again, the available official data demonstrate that connectivity and tourism demand increased during the same period. They do not, however, establish that additional flights alone caused the increase in US tourism.
Japan delivered an even sharper increase in Finnish overnight stays.
Visit Finland recorded approximately 205,900 Japanese overnight stays in 2025, up from around 141,100 in 2024. That represents growth of approximately 46%.
The aviation network also strengthened.
Finnair operated Helsinki connections with Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, Osaka and Nagoya. For summer 2025, Finnair increased Osaka service to daily and operated four weekly flights to Nagoya, including an additional weekly frequency.
The timing was particularly relevant because Osaka hosted Expo 2025, creating an additional international travel opportunity.
Japan’s recovery demonstrates how aviation connectivity and major international events can operate within a broader tourism environment. Nevertheless, individual visitor decisions are influenced by many factors, including economic conditions, airline schedules, travel preferences and destination marketing.
China also recorded stronger tourism demand in 2025.
Visit Finland’s figures for China and Hong Kong show approximately 239,700 overnight stays in 2025, compared with around 198,200 in 2024, an increase of approximately 21%.
Finnair added a weekly Helsinki–Shanghai service for summer 2025, bringing its scheduled frequency to four flights per week. Finavia’s route information also listed Shanghai services operated by Finnair and Juneyao Airlines, alongside Juneyao’s Helsinki–Zhengzhou connection.
China’s recovery remained incomplete compared with the pre-pandemic period, however. Visit Finland’s comparisons show that the China/Hong Kong market remained substantially below its 2019 level.
There has also been a significant development since the 2025 tourism period. China Southern Airlines launched a Helsinki–Beijing Daxing service in March 2026, initially operating three times a week and scheduled to increase to daily service from June 2026.
That route should be treated as a 2026 aviation development, rather than a factor in Finland’s 2025 tourism results.
China’s tourism market recovered during 2025, with China and Hong Kong recording approximately 239,700 overnight stays, compared with around 198,200 in 2024.
During summer 2025, Finnair increased its Helsinki–Shanghai service to four flights per week. Finavia also listed Shanghai services operated by Finnair and Juneyao Airlines, alongside Juneyao’s Helsinki–Zhengzhou service.
A separate development followed in 2026. China Southern Airlines launched a Helsinki–Beijing Daxing route on 29 March 2026, initially with three weekly flights and a planned increase to daily service from June 2026.
This route belongs to the 2026 aviation story. It should not be used to explain Finland’s 2025 tourism growth because the service had not yet begun during the period covered by the 2025 tourism statistics.
India’s relationship with Finland’s aviation network is particularly relevant to the country’s growing tourism interest among Indian travellers.
Finavia’s official route information confirms direct Helsinki–Delhi connectivity operated by Finnair during the 2025 schedules.
The existing connection provides an important foundation for the Indian market. Although the official sources reviewed do not support describing 2025 as a year of major new India–Finland route launches, they do show a combination of established direct connectivity and rising Indian overnight stays.
That distinction matters for accurate reporting.
The stronger story is therefore not that Finland experienced a sudden explosion of new Indian air routes. Instead, Indian tourism demand increased while direct connectivity remained available, creating a stronger platform for Finnish destinations to engage Indian travellers.
The wider aviation picture is particularly relevant to Lapland.
Finavia reported approximately 20.4 million passengers across its airports in 2025, up from 19.6 million in 2024. Helsinki Airport handled around 17.0 million passengers, an increase of 4.1%.
More directly relevant to Northern Lights tourism, Finland’s five Lapland airports collectively handled approximately 2.0 million passengers in 2025, representing a 12% increase from 2024.
That does not prove that Indian travellers were responsible for the increase, nor does it establish that Northern Lights tourism alone drove the growth. It does, however, demonstrate that passenger traffic through the region increased materially during the same period in which Finland recorded stronger international tourism.
For operators in Lapland, improved passenger volumes provide a favourable environment for international tourism products.
The combined evidence points to a clear structural trend: Finland’s tourism recovery is becoming increasingly international.
Foreign overnight stays grew 13% in 2025, while India, Japan, China/Hong Kong and the United States all recorded year-on-year increases. At the same time, international aviation capacity was strengthened through additional frequencies and route development.
For Finnish Lapland, the opportunity is particularly compelling. The region can package the Northern Lights with husky safaris, winter activities and local cuisine, creating a broader proposition for long-haul visitors.
The Indian market deserves particular attention. Its approximately 23% increase in overnight stays in 2025, together with continued direct Helsinki–Delhi connectivity, provides evidence of a market with renewed momentum.
Inkila’s comments from ITB India 2026 add a valuable industry perspective: travel trade representatives he met were expressing interest in Finland, while he identified aurora viewing, husky safaris and Lapish food as experiences worth discovering.
Finland’s latest tourism data show progress, but the market should not be overstated. Growth differs significantly by source market, domestic demand remains softer, and some Asian markets have not fully returned to their pre-pandemic levels.
What is clear is that international tourism is becoming a stronger component of Finland’s accommodation performance.
The combination of growing overseas demand, expanding aviation capacity and a distinctive product in Lapland gives Finland a solid platform for further international tourism development.
For Indian travellers in particular, the message from Lapland is straightforward: Finland is not only about seeing the Northern Lights. A trip can also include husky safaris, regional food and an immersive winter experience.
The official numbers provide evidence that interest from international markets is strengthening. The comments from the Finnish travel trade at ITB India 2026 suggest that this interest is also being felt directly among industry professionals.
As Finland moves through 2026, the challenge will be to convert that interest into sustainable visitor growth while ensuring that connectivity, accommodation, destination capacity and visitor experiences develop alongside demand.
The evidence presents two connected but distinct stories.
In 2025, Finland experienced stronger international tourism demand. Foreign overnight stays reached approximately 7.2 million, while Indian overnight stays increased to around 127,100. US, Japanese and China/Hong Kong markets also recorded year-on-year growth.
In 2026, Finland entered a new phase of international tourism engagement. The ITB India 2026 trade event provided Finnish tourism businesses with an opportunity to engage directly with Indian travel professionals, while new aviation developments — including China Southern’s Helsinki–Beijing Daxing route — added to Finland’s international connectivity.
The 2026 developments should therefore be viewed as part of the industry’s forward-looking environment, rather than retroactively attributed to the 2025 tourism figures.
For Finnish Lapland, the opportunity is clear. The region can build on existing international demand by promoting the Northern Lights alongside husky safaris, regional cuisine and other Arctic experiences. For India, the combination of rising 2025 overnight stays, established Helsinki–Delhi connectivity and continued trade engagement creates a credible basis for further market development.
The strongest editorial conclusion is consequently not that new 2026 routes caused the 2025 tourism increase, but that Finland entered 2026 with measurable international tourism momentum and was continuing to strengthen the connectivity and trade relationships that could support future growth.
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