When it comes to Europe, people generally flock to Switzerland, Prague, etc. … All thanks to
Bollywood! But there’s lot more that is hidden and needs to be discovered. Finland is one such
destination, which is the most underrated and definitely has to be seen to be believed the beauty
it holds. Ms Tarja Koivisto, Account Manager, Global Sales Promotions, Visit Finland, recently
at a road show in New Delhi, briefed the travel trade on the pleasures that the destination holds.
Here’s what she discussed with BOTT India.
Arushi Bajaj
The 2019 World Happiness Report ranked 156 countries and for the second consecutive year
Finland bagged the top spot based on factors including generosity, life expectancy and freedom.
The country has also been previously ranked among the countries with the highest quality of life
by the Legatum Institute’s Prosperity Index and among the most peaceful countries in the world
by the Global Peace Index.
Sharing her thoughts on Finland as a tourist destination, Tajra mentions, “Finland is relatively an
untouched destination and it needs to be taken more seriously as the place is a Pandora box of
experiences. It is a year round destination for all seasons both summer and winter alike and has
something in store for people of all age groups.”
Talking about the India market, she says, “India is a relatively new market and we are pleased to
be hosting this roadshow in New Delhi. Our aim is to encourage people to not just visit Finland
but also stay for a longer period of time as it’s a great standalone destination and need not be
clubbed with another one. Finland witnessed 100,000+ overnights from India in the year 2019, which
is a milestone for us and we are hoping to take this number higher in 2020.”
In order to develop traffic to any destination, connectivity is very important and Finland luckily
enjoys good flight connections to and from India. Throwing light on the same, she says, “There
is a direct flight from Delhi to Helsinksi with a frequency of four flights a week and the other
one is Turkish Airlines with one stop in Istanbul. As far as VISA is concerned it’s not an issue as
the process is smooth with a turnaround time of 20-25 days. We fall in the category of Schengen
countries.”
“Finland has many beautiful things to offer and we are the only country to have the cleanest air
and water in the whole wide world. The beauty here is absolutely serene and the nature has a
wide bouquet of wonderful things to offer and admire,” she concludes.
