Helsinki residents support tourism as pride in city grows

By admin On Apr 14, 2025

Helsinki Cathedral / ICPonline

A new survey shows 78 percent of Helsinki residents feel proud of their city as a tourist destination.

The figure marks an increase from the previous studies in 2023 and 2021. The survey, commissioned by the Helsinki Tourism Foundation, included responses from 956 residents. It found strong support for tourism development, with 71 percent in favour of attracting more visitors to the Finnish capital.

Respondents cited tourism’s positive impact on the economy and cultural life. Satisfaction with living in Helsinki remains stable, with 80 percent saying they enjoy living in the city. The figure is nearly unchanged since 2023.

Concerns about the negative impact of tourism remain low but have risen slightly. The share of residents reporting frequent or constant harm from tourism doubled from 5 percent in 2023 to 10 percent in 2025. Littering and cleanliness were named as the primary concerns. Crowding was mentioned less often than in earlier surveys.

Jukka Punamäki, Helsinki’s special planner for tourism, said in a statement, “It is good to see residents are proud of the city’s appeal and liveability. At the same time, it is important that tourism development takes residents’ experiences and wellbeing into account.”

Support for tourism has also translated into action. The number of residents willing to help and guide visitors has risen. In 2023, 73 percent said they did so gladly. That figure rose to 78 percent in the new survey.

Preferences for tourism development have shifted. In 2023, 22 percent prioritised improving cultural offerings and sightseeing. In 2025, only 9 percent did. Instead, 25 percent called for more events and activities.

“Residents now see events as the most important area for development,” Punamäki said. “The emphasis has clearly moved from traditional sightseeing to experiences.”

More than half of respondents said events increase the city’s appeal and bring international exposure. Events were also seen to strengthen the economy and improve liveability. Many respondents said Helsinki should seek to host major international events more actively.

The research was conducted by Visitory Oy as a panel survey in February 2025. The initial sample was 1021 residents, but incomplete responses led to a final sample size of 956. The data was weighted to reflect the age and gender distribution of Helsinki residents aged 15 and older.

A separate part of the study focused on tourist behaviour and stay duration. It was done in cooperation with influencer Varpu Rusila, who runs the “Her Finland” account.

An Instagram survey conducted through her account gathered nearly 13,000 responses. Among potential visitors to Helsinki, 40 percent said they would stay three to four days. Another 22 percent planned to stay one to two days.

After participants were shown custom-made Helsinki videos and offered a downloadable guide titled “50 free things to do in Helsinki,” the data changed. The guide was downloaded or saved over 4,300 times.

Follow-up questions revealed a decrease in planned short visits. One to two-day visits dropped from 22 to 15 percent. Longer stays of more than seven days increased from 21 to 28 percent.

Rusila wrote in the final report that influencing trip duration should start during the planning stage, when accommodation and activities are being selected.

“Many international tourists fall for Helsinki when they are already here, but by then, extending their stay is no longer possible,” Rusila stated.

The survey findings suggest that a combination of resident support, event-driven development, and targeted digital outreach can shape perceptions and travel behaviour.

Source: www.helsinkitimes.fi