Articles — July 23, 2025
French Tourism in Finland: Who Should Participate in French Marketing Activities?
As international travel continues to recover, France remains a steadily growing source market for Finnish tourism. Based on overnight stays by French travelers in 2019, 2023, and 2024, clear trends emerge regarding their preferred destinations and travel behavior in Finland.
French Overnight Stays in Finland (2019, 2023, 2024 Combined)
French tourists recorded over 1.1 million overnight stays in Finland across the three years. The most visited regions by total overnights were:
Region Total Overnights (2019–2024) Avg. Stay (Nights)
Entire Finland 1,111,828 3.0
Rank Region Total Overnights Avg. Stay (Nights)
1 Helsinki Metropolitan Area 279,992 2.0
2 Fell Lapland 225,482 4.9
3 Northern Lapland 221,203 4.1
4 Rovaniemi 162,347 3.1
5 Eastern Lapland 27,741 4.7
6 Pirkanmaa (incl. Tampere) 21,269 2.2
7 Northern Ostrobothnia (excl. Kuusamo) 20,304 2.3
8 Varsinais-Suomi (incl. Turku) 20,253 2.1
9 Kainuu 16,543 2.8
10 Central Finland 15,430 3.3
Lapland dominates in terms of longer stays, with average durations exceeding 4 nights per visitor. However, Helsinki continues to attract the highest volume of travelers.
Who Should Attend IFTM Top Resa 2025 (Paris, September)?
IFTM Top Resa is one of France’s largest B2B tourism trade shows, attracting travel agencies, tour operators, and media. Based on the tourism trends, the following Finnish tourism stakeholders should strongly consider attending:
Recommended Participants:
- Lapland tourism operators
- Adventure and winter experience providers (e.g. husky safaris, aurora tours)
- Accommodation services (cabins, igloo hotels)
- Northern Lights & nature-based travel brands
- Helsinki region DMO and city attractions
- Cultural attractions, city tours, design & architecture experiences
- Sustainable urban tourism providers
- Sustainable tourism companies
- Operators offering eco-friendly lodging, nature excursions, and slow travel experiences
- Niche outdoor and wellness brands
- Seasonal experience marketers
- Operators offering seasonal events (e.g. Christmas, Midsummer, Autumn foliage)
- Regional DMOs with growing interest among French travelers:
- Pirkanmaa, Pohjois-Pohjanmaa, and Itä-Lappi, which all saw notable overnight volumes
How Much Do French Tourists Spend in Finland?
According to Visit Finland and Statistics Finland, French tourists spend on average €120–€140 per day during their stay in Finland.
Average spend per French tourist:
€120–140/day/person (incl. accommodation, food, transport, activities)
With an average stay of 3.0 nights → €360–€420 per visitor
This places French tourists in the mid- to high-spending category, making them a valuable segment for regional and seasonal tourism development.
Seasonality changes are very significant in Finland. We have compared 3 years; 2019, 2023 and 2024 trying to find a trend of Frenchmens’ interest to travel in Finland. Winter season is playing very important role. Also one could say brand of Finland is little bit blurred. For some consumers Lapland, “Laponie” in French, is an independent country.
Chart 1: Frenchmens’ seasonality changes 2019, 2023, and 2024 in Finland. Source: Business Finland
🇫🇷 French Tourism in Finnish Regions (2019–2024 Combined)
With Weighted Average Stay & Estimated Tourism Income
French Tourism in Finnish Regions (2019–2024 Combined)
With Weighted Average Stay & Estimated Tourism Income
| Region | Total Overnights | Avg. Stay (Nights) | Tourism Income (€) |
| Helsinki Metropolitan Area | 279,992 | 2.0 | €33,599,040 |
| Fell Lapland | 225,482 | 4.9 | €27,057,840 |
| Northern Lapland | 221,203 | 4.1 | €26,544,360 |
| Rovaniemi | 162,347 | 3.1 | €19,481,640 |
| Eastern Lapland | 27,741 | 4.7 | €3,328,920 |
| Pirkanmaa (incl. Tampere) | 21,269 | 2.2 | €2,552,280 |
| Northern Ostrobothnia (excl. Kuusamo) | 20,304 | 2.3 | €2,436,480 |
| Varsinais-Suomi (incl. Turku) | 20,253 | 2.1 | €2,430,360 |
| Kainuu | 16,543 | 2.8 | €1,985,160 |
| Central Finland (Keski-Suomi) | 15,430 | 3.3 | €1,851,600 |
| Kuusamo | 12,334 | 3.2 | €1,480,080 |
| Torniolaakso | 12,105 | 4.0 | €1,452,600 |
| Satakunta | 11,177 | 3.7 | €1,341,240 |
| South Savo | 9,438 | 2.3 | €1,132,560 |
| Päijät-Häme | 8,807 | 3.3 | €1,056,840 |
| Uusimaa 2 (excl. Helsinki metro area) | 7,806 | 1.8 | €936,720 |
| Northern Savo | 7,283 | 3.7 | €873,960 |
| North Karelia | 5,409 | 2.4 | €649,080 |
| Ostrobothnia | 4,888 | 1.9 | €586,560 |
| Åland Islands | 3,903 | 2.0 | €468,360 |
| Kemi-Tornio | 3,761 | 1.8 | €451,320 |
| South Ostrobothnia | 3,012 | 3.0 | €361,440 |
| Kymenlaakso | 3,114 | 2.4 | €373,680 |
| Kanta-Häme | 2,908 | 2.0 | €348,960 |
| South Karelia | 2,604 | 2.0 | €312,480 |
| Central Ostrobothnia | 1,784 | 3.3 | €214,080 |
Conclusion:
French travelers love Finland’s contrast—urban Helsinki and the wilderness of Lapland. The consistent rise in visits from France and their strong per-visitor spend underscore the importance of targeted marketing in France.
If your tourism business or region aligns with these interests, IFTM Top Resa 2025 is a prime opportunity to showcase your offering and build partnerships with French travel professionals.
Should You Attend IFTM Top Resa 2025 (Paris, September)?
IFTM Top Resa is one of France’s largest B2B tourism trade shows, attracting travel agencies, tour operators, and media. Based on the tourism trends, the following Finnish tourism stakeholders should strongly consider attending:
See more about IFTM Top Resa 2025 – 23.9 – 25.9.2025: https://www.toolboxtravel.fi/event/iftm-top-resa-2025/
