“The departure lobby at Rovaniemi Airport will be expanded by nearly one thousand square metres, which we believe will improve the already high level of passenger satisfaction,” says Finavia’s Johan Juujärvi, Manager at Rovaniemi Airport.
The expansion work is already over halfway finished, and preparations for the winter season are well under way. In addition, the ground traffic areas in front of the airport are undergoing partial renovation and reorganisation. This winter season, different modes of ground transport, such as taxis, buses and private cars, will be clearly located in their own areas. The purpose of the change is to streamline traffic in the area and clarify traffic arrangements.
Lapland attracts international passengers
Tourism in Lapland has grown strongly in recent years. Rovaniemi Airport has become Finavia’s second busiest airport in terms of passenger volumes after Helsinki Airport. Rovaniemi Airport plays a key role in tourism in Lapland, especially as a gateway to the area for international passengers. In 2024, the number of passengers at Rovaniemi Airport increased by nearly 30% year-on-year.
Several airlines have already announced that they will continue their routes in the coming winter season. New routes are also expected to open. The number of passengers during the winter season at Rovaniemi Airport has increased significantly, and the development has also been exceptionally strong on an international level. The growth of winter tourism in Lapland is a true international success story.
“We are expecting many flights in the coming winter, and new routes have been opened throughout the spring and summer. We are very pleased that Lapland’s attractiveness is strengthening year by year. The expansion of the departure lobby at Rovaniemi Airport meets the needs of growing passenger volumes by creating more waiting space for departing passengers,” Juujärvi says.
New year-round flight connections
Finavia’s goal is to strengthen flight connections in Lapland also outside the winter season. The aim is to increase the attractiveness of summer tourism by promoting international awareness of Finland as a travel destination. Foreign tourists are increasingly interested in visiting Lapland in the summer, and the growth of tourism in Rovaniemi in particular reflects positively in the entire Lapland region. This also creates new opportunities for the development of routes at other airports in Lapland.
Last winter’s routes from Frankfurt in Germany, Zurich in Switzerland and Milan in Italy continued to Rovaniemi and Kittilä airports also during the summer season. In addition, Ivalo Airport opened a new connection to Kirkenes in northern Norway. The new routes support the growth of tourism in Lapland and improve the area’s accessibility all year round. Finland’s international accessibility is largely based on flight connections, and comprehensive connections play a significant role in Finland’s attractiveness as a destination.
Preparations for the winter season start in the summer
In addition to the expansion of the departure lobby, Rovaniemi started preparing for the winter season already in the summer. Finavia cooperates closely with airport operators to ensure a smooth travel experience. When the expansion is completed, the passenger facilities will be even better than before.
For the winter season, Finavia is recruiting seasonal employees for the airports in Lapland, especially for service guidance and winter maintenance. In total, Lapland’s airports will employ approximately one hundred temporary employees during the winter season 2025-2026. Recruitment began already in July, and interest in seasonal work has been good. Seasonal workers are a very important resource during the busy season.
“Several companies operate at Lapland’s airports, and they will also recruit employees for the winter season. Finavia’s recruitments have started quickly, and we have received many excellent applications,” says Jonna Pietilä, Kittilä Airport Manager and Vice President, Lapland Airports at Finavia.
The requirements of the work offered by Finavia vary depending on the task. Maintenance tasks often require a category BC driving licence due to handling heavy equipment as well as good physical condition to ensure fire and rescue suitability. In addition to customer service, the service advisers at Lapland airports can also act as security control officers. Security control officers are required to be attentive, careful, responsive and able to deal with international passengers. During the winter season, the importance of language skills is also emphasised.
“It is important to us that we can also serve international passengers, so good English language skills are a requirement for many jobs. We are looking forward to the coming winter season at all Lapland airports,” Pietilä says.
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Finavia invests in the development of tourism in Lapland: Expands terminal at Rovaniemi Airport
Photo: Visit Finland: Vastavalo / Marko Junttila
