The tourist miracle of Lapland alleviates the plight of the construction industry-“the targets are paid for the squares of southern Helsinki”

Lapland Tourism success brings work in northern Finland to the construction industry suffering from the plight of housing construction.

While the construction prospects for new homes are down in the country, holiday homes are built in Lapland in the same pace as before the corona boom, according to Statistics Finland’s latest information.

YIT, the largest construction company in the country, is currently constructing the second phase of the larger property in Kittilä, for example, along the front slopes of the Levi ski and ski resort.

The first phase of the Levi project was completed at the end of 2023 and the second phase under construction is expected to be completed in the fall of this year.

The third phase of the project is planned, says YIT’s Regional Director of Northern Finland Marko Palonen.

“Our strength is currently construction in the University of Northern Finland, but of course holiday home projects have made it easier in the construction market in our area,” says Palonen.

YIT is a project management contractor for Levi’s project. The project is developed by the real estate investment company Cloudberry Development, behind which is the Kinkäpital investment company of one branch of the Hartwall family.

“There is an alternative to tourism construction and we have joined it with our partners,” says Palonen.

The value of the Levi project is approximately EUR 120 million. The first phase of the building is the former village merchant Sampo Kaulanen Two stunning apartments. The total of more than five million euros in their trade, the celebrity merchant said For Levinyt magazine year before last.

In relation to the construction of the whole country, holiday home construction is small, but regionally it can be important.

In Lapland According to information collected by the Lapland Chamber of Commerce, a total of EUR 1.2 billion worth of tourism investments is planned over the next ten years.

Plans focus on big tourist centers. In addition to the Cloudberry Development project, there are 13 holiday apartments in Levi, a holiday village of EUR 30 million and the sixth hotel in the Wilderness chain for Saariselkä, the Lapland Chamber of Commerce said in December.

YIT is currently negotiating with hotel operators and investors on holiday home projects in Levi, Rovaniemi and Ylläs, and is also interested in St. Holy projects. The biggest destination is Levi.

“The projects are on the table and we go through them with partners,” Palonen says.

Lapland According to airport operator Finavia statistics, airport passenger numbers increased by 19 % last year from the previous year. The number of passengers at Rovaniemi Airport rose close to 950,000 passengers, a new record.

Increased tourism creates demand for accommodation and hotels. In addition, the tourist season in Lapland has been extended.

Today, the tourist season lasts about five and a half months from the end of October to April, compared to three months before the corona pandemia.

According to the Price Monitoring Service of the Confederation of Real Estate (KVKL), the number of holiday homes in the whole country has been at a higher level than before the Pandemia.

The share of Lapland has grown throughout the holiday home in recent years, says KVKL CEO Tuomas Viljamaa. According to Viljamaa, tourism has “definitely” an impact on the increased cottage trade in Lapland.

“New destinations in Levi’s good locations will be paid per square meter price in southern Helsinki. It tells about demand, ”says Viljamaa.