Jakarta – Rovaniemi, Lapland, Finland, known as Santa Claus Village, is visited by 600 thousand travelers every year. Due to the large number of visitors, the place is experiencing overtourism.
Quoting Independent, Friday (13/12/2024), the winter amusement park is located on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Visiting there, travelers can play in the snow, ride a reindeer sled, enjoy cocktails, or even meet the actor playing ‘Santa Claus’.
“This is like a dream come true for me.” “I am very happy to be here,” said Polish visitor, Elzbieta Nazaruk.
The place is developing rapidly and making hotel owners, restaurant owners, and city officials happy. However, on the other hand, the influx of tourists, which reaches ten times the population, brings its own set of problems every Christmas.
“We are concerned about the excessive growth of tourism.” “Tourism has grown so rapidly, it is no longer controllable,” said Antti Pakkanen, 43, a photographer and member of a housing network who organized a protest march through the city streets last September.
In 2023, Rovaniemi even recorded a record 1.2 million visitors. This growth marked a 30 percent increase from 2022.
“Nordic is a trend.” People want to travel to cold countries to see snow, see the Northern Lights, and of course, see Santa Claus,” said the CEO of Visit Rovaniemi, Sanna Karkkainen.
Most tourists come from European countries such as France, Germany, and England. In addition, thirteen new flight routes to Rovaniemi Airport have also been opened this year.
The high volume of visitors has made hotel availability very limited, especially this winter. The general manager of Original Sokos Hotel, Tiina Määttä, predicts that visits in 2024 will break records.
Local critics of mass tourism say that many apartment buildings in downtown Rovaniemi are now being used as accommodation services during the holiday season. That reduces long-term accommodation.
They also said that the proliferation of short-term rentals has driven up prices. It is also similar to what happens in many cities experiencing overtourism, pushing out long-term residents and turning the city center into a stopover for tourists.
However, Finnish law prohibits professional accommodation services in buildings designated as residences. This has led activists to pressure the authorities.
“The regulations must be enforced better,” said Pakkanen.
That Beautiful Santa Claus Village Faces Overtourism
