Oulu’s position as an international conference and congress city was strengthened by the growth in events held in 2025. At the same time, recent tourism statistics show that 2026 has started strongly for both tourism in Oulu and the Pohjola Route region. This growth is supported by increased event activity, the visibility brought by the Capital of Culture year, and growing international interest in Northern Finland.
According to recent statistics from the Finland Convention Bureau, 36 international congresses were held in Oulu last year, which is five more than in 2024. This result placed Oulu sixth in the comparison of Finnish congress cities.
A total of 4,905 delegates participated in international congresses in Oulu in 2025. The number of participants decreased slightly from 2024, but Oulu still retained its position as sixth in Finland in terms of participant numbers.
The 2024 statistics showed an exceptionally high number of participants, as Oulu hosted the international JCI (Junior Chamber International) congress, which brought around 1,500 delegates to the region and significantly increased the total number of participants for that year.
– In 2025, Oulu hosted more international congresses than in the previous year, which shows the city’s appeal as a science and event city. Cooperation between the university, research institutes, and the event industry plays a key role in this development, says Anniina Merikanto, an expert at the Oulu Convention Bureau.
International conferences are an important part of year-round tourism. Most conference guests stay in hotels, use local services, and explore the city outside of the actual event.
– Oulu’s strength lies in its combination of high-level research, innovation, and attractive events. International conferences bring experts from various fields to the city and at the same time strengthen year-round tourism. Oulu2026 will give this development even more visibility. We also expect airBaltic’s Riga flight connection, which will launch in March, to give a significant boost to international tourism in Oulu. The new route will offer five weekly flights and improve connections to connecting flights in Europe, says Y.T. Anderson, CEO of Visit Oulu.
The Capital of Culture year kicked off with record tourism figures
From a tourism perspective, 2026 got off to a strong start in Oulu. In January, a total of 65,500 paid overnight stays were recorded, which is 18 percent more than a year earlier.
Overnight stays in registered accommodation increased by 7 percent, with unregistered accommodation, such as Airbnb, growing particularly strongly, with overnight stays increasing by 55 percent.
– The development of tourism in Oulu looks very positive. The Capital of Culture year has sparked interest, and we expect a 20-30 percent increase in tourist numbers in the spring compared to last year, says Jyrki Kemppainen, Key Account Director of trade & services, travel and logistics at BusinessOulu.
In January, the largest foreign tourist groups in Oulu came from Ukraine, Germany, and France, among other countries. Growth was also seen in markets such as Poland, Latvia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
The Pohjola Route continues to strengthen tourism growth in the region
The Pohjola Route tourism concept is also developing positively. In January 2026, a total of 73,800 registered overnight stays were recorded in the Oulu region, which is 1 percent more than a year earlier. Of these, domestic tourists accounted for 49,300 nights and international tourists for 24,500 nights.
In terms of foreign markets, demand from Asia and Central Europe is particularly evident in the statistics. Taiwan emerged as one of the most significant international markets with strong growth, and the number of tourists arriving from France and the Netherlands, for example, also increased.