Chinese tourists replacing Japanese visitors in Finnish Lapland
However, at the same time – and for the past decade – the number of Chinese tourists visiting Finland’s Arctic region has been steadily increasing. Apart from Lapland, Chinese tourists have also begun to discover other parts of Finland, as well.
Managing director of the tourism firm Visit Rovaniemi, Sanna Kärkkäinen said the decline in tourists from Japan was attributable to fierce competition in the Arctic tourism sector.
She said other destinations above the Arctic Circle, like Iceland, Canada and Norway, have helped to turn Japanese tourists to places other than Lapland.
The head of eTourism research at the University of Eastern Finland’s Centre for Tourism Studies, Juho Pesonen said Japanese tourists may be more price-conscious when making holiday plans than their Chinese counterparts.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Northern Canadian territory’s tourism on pace for another record-setting year, say tourism officials, CBC News
Finland: In Santa’s hometown, are tourism and a railway threatening Sámi culture?, Cryopolitics Blog
Iceland: Arctic tourism in the age of Instagram, Eye on the Arctic special report
Norway: Several ships being launched to feed Arctic cruise boom, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Svalbard town phasing out coal to become gateway for Russia’s Arctic tourism, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Growing number of Swedes choose train travel over flying to reduce pollution, Radio Sweden
United States: Alaska’s cruise industry just keeps getting bigger, Alaska Dispatch News
