Oulu’s international tourism grew by 37% last year. More than one million overnight stays were recorded at accommodation establishments throughout the Oulu tourism area. The active work of tourism businesses in the international market is bearing fruit, and the development and marketing efforts undertaken are supporting the journey towards Oulu’s year as European Capital of Culture.
The total number of overnights in registered accommodation establishments in Oulu reached 621,000 (+4%), while the total number of nights spent – including non-registered accommodation – rose to 851,000 (+9%).
During the year, the number of international visitors increased by 37%, with the highest growth rates recorded in the Nordic countries (+41%), Germany (+31%), the Mediterranean countries (+50%) and the United States (+46%). Growth in international tourism in Oulu was concentrated in the summer and towards the end of the year.
For the third consecutive year, the Oulu region recorded more than 1 million overnight stays and also strong growth in international tourism (+27%).
– International tourism in Oulu is now playing a major role in the growth of the entire tourism sector. Together with our networks and sub-regions, we have invested heavily in international visibility and in reaching new groups of tourists. The growth in international tourism also supports the region’s flight connections and has positive regional economic effects, says Yrjötapio Kivisaari, CEO of Visit Oulu.
Direct scheduled flight brought tourist flows to Oulu from Munich
A direct scheduled flight from Munich to Oulu, which started more than a year ago, has clearly increased German interest in Oulu and its surrounding areas. Due to the popularity of the route, it was extended to a year-round service shortly after its launch and, along with numerous domestic flights operated by Finnair, it has strengthened the year-round international accessibility of northern Finland as a whole.
According to Visit Finland, more than 33,500 foreign tourists arrived at Oulu Airport during 2024 on various flights, an increase of 30% compared to the previous year. Around one in five arrived from Germany. The largest influx of tourists came from Munich, where growth was as much as 130% compared to the previous year. Oulu Airport received significantly more tourists than in the previous year, not only from Germany but also from almost all other markets.
– The regional investments in year-round attractiveness and the combination of Oulu, Syöte and Kuusamo appeal to consumers particularly in winter, but measures such as the Pohjola Route have also been successful in attracting interest in other seasons. The Capital of Culture status also brings content that attracts new customers and arouses interest in the whole region, says Jyrki Oksanen, Visit Finland’s Director for the German-speaking region.
Foreign tourists who declared Oulu as their main destination spent more than €80 million on their trips last year. Just over 70 per cent of Oulu visitors were on a leisure trip and their median stay was as long as seven nights. On average, leisure travel bookings were made 2.5 months before the start of the trip. Leisure travellers were most interested in experiences related to nature, urban culture, well-being and exercise.
Flight bookings to Oulu continue to grow in the first half of the year
The growth in demand for flights to Oulu is also reflected in the increase in supply, or seat capacity, on the Munich–Oulu route (+27%) for January–March 2025 compared to the same period last year. For the same period, Finnair’s Helsinki–Oulu flight capacity also shows a 5% increase. By the end of January, foreign flight bookings at Oulu Airport for January–March had increased by almost 10% year-on-year. Around one in four bookings are from Germany.
Hotel occupancy rates remained high – demand for new accommodation solutions
Hotel occupancy in Oulu averaged 69%. This is clearly higher than in Rovaniemi, Helsinki, Tampere or Turku, for example. During the year, Oulu had 3,100 beds available in registered accommodation establishments and 1,200 in non-registered ones.
– The high occupancy rate in Oulu’s hotels reflects the strong development of tourism and the year-round demand in our city. In particular, we have seen a positive impact on the hotel sector from the increase in the number of international tourists. New groups of tourists and upcoming events will bring even more opportunities for the region’s tourism industry, says Päivi Kaarlela, Hotel Manager of Original Sokos Hotel Arina.
– The growth in tourism and increased travel to Oulu has also been reflected in the operations of the Radisson Blu Hotel. In particular, the number of international tourists has increased significantly over the past year, demonstrating the city’s growing attractiveness and the development of the tourism market. This growth is reflected in both business and leisure travel at our hotel, says Tarja Karvola, Hotel Manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Oulu.
– The high occupancy rate shows that there is demand for new hotel capacity. This is emphasised by the year-round nature of the demand, says Jyrki Kemppainen, Key Account Director for tourism at BusinessOulu.
The City of Oulu is also encouraging Oulu residents to open their homes and accommodate visitors during major events.
The big events of 2025 promise to bring tourist flows to Oulu
In the first half of 2025, Oulu’s tourism figures may be affected by the closure of Lapland Hotels Oulu for renovation, which will temporarily affect accommodation capacity and overnight stays during the spring. However, the situation will be balanced by the Kuninkuusravit horse racing event and the Housing Fair, which are expected to significantly increase domestic tourism to the region in the summer of 2025.
– We expect the major events in 2025 to attract tourists and contribute to offsetting changes in accommodation capacity. Oulu is a strong player in the national tourism scene and we are working to ensure that tourism continues to grow steadily in the coming years, Kivisaari sums up.
International cooperation pays off
In 2024, BusinessOulu worked with its partners to develop international services for businesses in particular. Oulu was also selected as one of the national Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) destinations.
In the framework of the regional air transport programme funded by BusinessOulu and the municipalities in the region, an active dialogue was also conducted both to promote competition on the Oulu–Helsinki route and to open new direct international flights. Together with Visit Oulu, its network and the Bothnian Coastal Route, dozens of tour operators were reached, which attracted and will attract more international tourist groups to the region in the coming years.
Educational tourism programmes for international visitor groups attracted interest and the number of visitors to schools and educational institutions in Oulu increased strongly. The growing number of cruise visitors, both in summer and winter, brought a special addition to the Oulu tourism year.
– The Oulu tourism network has succeeded in developing several new international opportunities for the region, especially for the winter season. During the year, we have worked to strengthen international accessibility, attractiveness and content in and around Oulu and in cooperation with the whole Bothnian Arc region. This work will continue to bear fruit in the years to come, says Kemppainen.
For more information:
Yrjötapio Kivisaari
CEO
Oulu Tourism Ltd.
yt@visitoulu.fi
tel. +358 40 546 6283
Jyrki Kemppainen
Key Account Director
BusinessOulu
jyrki.kemppainen@businessoulu.com
tel +358 44 499 3296
Jyrki Oksanen
Head of VF, DACH & Benelux
Visit Finland
jyrki.oksanen@businessfinland.fi
tel. +49 151 730 29 879