Oulun Matkailu Oy, which has long been responsible for tourism marketing in the Oulu region, is changing its name to Visit Northern Finland Oy. The change reflects the company’s growth: it now markets the growing tourism region of Northern Finland internationally. Tourism marketing for the city of Oulu remains the company’s core mission.
The company’s board of directors and shareholders unanimously approved the name change at the annual general meeting held in June 2026. The change reflects the company’s development: in recent years, its operations have expanded significantly to cover the vast region of Northern Finland, and the company actively markets the region in international markets under several brands – including Visit Oulu, Visit Northern Finland, and Oulu Convention Bureau.
A milestone in regional cooperation was the Pohjola Route joint marketing project, launched in 2021, which includes Oulu, Kempele, Ii, Hailuoto, Lumijoki, Liminka, Tyrnävä, Raahe, Kemi, Ranua, Syöte, and Rokua Geopark. The project has demonstrated that destinations in Northern Finland are most successful in international markets when they work together.
The new brand name supports the goal of simplifying Northern Finland’s tourism marketing in international markets. Going forward, Visit Northern Finland will serve as a clear umbrella brand under which the region’s diverse offerings are grouped – whether it be nature, culture, events, or business travel.
– Tourism marketing for Oulu remains our company’s core mission. At the same time, we have grown to become the unified voice of Northern Finland at international travel fairs and markets. The new name reflects this growth, says CEO Y.T. Anderson.
Oulu remains at the heart of operations
The tourism marketing service agreement with the City of Oulu remains the company’s most important single task. The agreement covers the City of Oulu’s tourism marketing both domestically and internationally. The company’s consumer marketing efforts will continue to use the Visit Oulu brand, and Oulun Matkailu will remain the company’s official secondary name.
Oulu2026 – European Capital of Culture has provided a significant boost to tourism growth, and the company’s goal is to ensure that the appeal driven by this growth continues even after 2026.
A major regional tourism marketing company
Visit Northern Finland Oy operates as a regional tourism marketing organisation and carries out international B2B marketing for Northern Finland under the Visit Northern Finland brand. The company represents the region at international travel trade shows and markets Northern Finland as a joint marketing destination in the DACH region, Spain, Japan, and the United States, among other places.
The team’s email addresses will now also end with @visitnorthernfinland.fi. All existing contracts and partnerships will continue as usual.