Finnish Lapland Booms as a Chinese Tourist Destination amidst Increased Chinese-Finnish Cooperation

The Finnish Lapland region has seen a record year in tourism, fuelled by a rise in Chinese tourists, whose numbers were twice those welcomed in 2015.

The local tourism bureau has reported that Chinese is the most-widely spoken among foreign tourists to regional capital Rovaniemi, the official ‘hometown’ of Santa Claus, and the language is appearing in information in shops and restaurants throughout the area. Rovaniemi, which has seen its reputation grow among second wave Chinese travellers in recent years, gained enormous exposure in November 2016 when it played host to the global launch ceremony for Chinese internet giant Alitrip’s rebranding under the name ‘Fliggy’ in an event that featured a live Voice of China broadcast streamed online to millions of viewers worldwide.

While the country’s north enjoys a Chinese-driven boost to its local economy, Chinese President Xi Jinping assured closer bilateral cooperation in advance of his April 2017 state visit to the northern European country.

Praising the enhanced possibilities that would be possible within the frame of the One Belt, One Road initiative, Xi highlighted forthcoming “cooperation in such areas as innovation, entrepreneurship, clean energy, bio-economy and arctic research” as areas in which the two countries could excel together.

Finland’s total of 157,980 Chinese arrivals in 2016 represented a year-on-year growth rate of 30.3% and stands in stark contrast to the falls in visitor numbers seen last year in many prominent European destinations amidst perceived security concerns among potential Chinese customers. Finland’s ability to offer more exclusive, immersive tourist experiences – such as those found in Lapland – in addition to its perception as a safe, but novel, destination, that is attractive to increasingly adventurous Chinese travellers.

COTRI China Outbound Tourism Research Institute provides expert insights into the worldwide developments of China’s outbound tourism market. As Chinese outbound tourists are travelling to a large range of destinations, our publications cover a number of regions, providing detailed insights and analysing visitor behaviour.

With COTRI’s insights you can forge a successful business strategy built upon in-depth market expertise, comprehensive qualitative analysis and future projections. The Autumn 2016 Edition of the COTRI Market report features in-depth exploration of the developing trends in the field, supported by a wealth of qualitative and quantitative statistical research.

Source: Xinhua, China Daily, Radio Canada International

Photo: flickr