Finland receives hundreds of thousands of visitors annually from countries such as Germany, the UK, Sweden and France. But data from Visit Finland shows that several European nations contribute only a minimal number of overnight stays.
In 2024, only 1,072 overnight stays were recorded from Liechtenstein, 1,732 from Albania, and 1,942 from Belarus, according to tourism figures published by Business Finland.
Liechtenstein, despite being one of Europe’s smallest nations and lacking its own airport, still shows an unexpectedly high rate of travel to Finland when adjusted for population. With around 40,000 residents, Liechtenstein outpaces both Albania, with 2.8 million inhabitants, and Belarus, with approximately 10 million, in terms of proportional travel.
“This could be explained by Liechtenstein’s high income level and the presence of a small but dedicated group with a particular interest in Finland,” said Katarina Wakonen, senior advisor at Visit Finland. “In a country that size, just a few enthusiastic travel organisers, Finland fans, or travelling families can make a visible statistical impact.”
Beyond the least represented nations, the data also pointed to unexpected growth. The number of overnight stays from Cyprus and Greece increased by over 45 percent compared to the previous year. However, absolute figures remain low, with visits still numbering in the low thousands.
“The rise in percentages from Cyprus and Greece is statistically interesting but small in volume,” Wakonen noted. “The increase from Cyprus may also be influenced by Russian-background travellers.”
Visit Finland does not run active marketing campaigns in all European countries. Instead, it targets countries with higher potential and accessibility. Current focus markets include Germany, the UK, France, and Spain, where demand for Finnish travel experiences is consistently strong.
Last year, Finland recorded over 700,000 overnight stays from Germany, more than 600,000 from the UK, and nearly 400,000 from France. These figures represent a significantly larger share of Finland’s tourism economy.
“These are markets where tourism has clear economic impact,” Wakonen said. “That’s why they continue to receive strategic marketing attention.”
The Finnish tourism agency bases its marketing choices on data analysis, including travel potential and route availability. While large source countries continue to dominate, niche interest from smaller nations like Liechtenstein still plays a role in shaping the diversity of Finland’s inbound tourism.
HT
