January 12, 2026

Pet friendly travel options are increasing in Finland

Last weekend, I finally had the chance to visit Matka Travel Fair (Matkamessut) again, a travel fair where I was an exhibitor for so many years.

I’ll admit, I felt a bit nostalgic… and slightly sad to see it was much smaller than I remembered (5 years ago). Some countries that used to be really popular and that had huge stands were missing.

At the same time, I understand why.

Back when I worked at Catalonia’s stand, I often thought the same thing: beyond brochures and maps, visitors couldn’t really take much with them. Even then, I believed tourism boards could partner with travel agencies and offer ready-made travel packages or a digital option where visitors could plan but more importantly book their holidays right on the spot with special fair offers.

Exhibiting is really expensive, and it’s not always easy to see the return destinations and tourism boards actually get from it. And from the visitor’s side, people often want more than just information and a map.

That said, one thing truly surprised me in the best way:
The strong presence of Finnish regional destinations and especially Lapland.

Something I also understand why.

In 2024, about 1,8 million passengers travelled through Lapland’s main airports (Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Ivalo, Kuusamo & Kemi-Tornio), up approximately 19% from 2023 (1,5 million).

Beyond Rovaniemi, there was great representation from places such as Kemijärvi, Posio, Kuusamo, Kemi, and even further north: Inari, Ivalo, Saariselkä, Utsjoki, and more.

🧡 But what stayed with me most was this:

*Pet friendly travel* is also increasing
and the selection within Finland was a really positive surprise.

I even spotted a spa that chose, out of all possible visuals, a woman and her dog as the main image on their stand.

Yes, families with pets are requesting for options and many more companies are listening to a growing demand.

Honestly, isn’t that amazing?