Tourism in Oulu continued to grow strongly in July 2026. Registered accommodation establishments recorded 102,100 overnight stays, which is 17 per cent more than a year earlier. Between January and July, paid overnight stays in Oulu increased by 12 per cent compared with the previous year. Growth has thus remained steady throughout the first half of the year.
International demand is growing faster than domestic demand
Registered overnight stays by foreign tourists rose by 23 per cent in July to 25,200, whilst domestic overnight stays increased by 15 per cent to 76,800. Unregistered accommodation, such as Airbnb and Vrbo, grew by 3 per cent.
The largest single foreign market was Norway with 9,400 overnight stays, representing growth of as much as 38 per cent. Germany accounted for 3,500 overnight stays (+35 per cent) and Sweden for 4,800 overnight stays (+11 per cent).
International growth was once again clearly reflected in the upturn in air traffic. In July, 21,300 air passengers arrived in Oulu, 29 per cent more than a year earlier.
This growth is also reflected in the sector’s turnover: accommodation revenue in Oulu in July totalled €6.9 million, approximately €700,000 more than the previous year (+11 per cent). The hotel room occupancy rate was 82 per cent, and growth has also been achieved by increasing capacity – there were 240 more registered rooms than a year earlier.
International growth is also evident in the Pohjola Route region
In the Pohjola Route ring road region, registered overnight stays in July rose by 5 per cent to 143,700, whilst paid overnight stays totalled 184,400 (+5 per cent). International demand in the region grew significantly more strongly than domestic demand: the number of international overnight stays rose by 15 per cent to 29,300, whilst domestic overnight stays increased by 2 per cent.
Norway was also the largest market along the Pohjola Route, with 10,100 overnight stays (+39 per cent). The region has seen an overall increase so far this year: registered overnight stays from January to July rose by 3 per cent, whilst international overnight stays rose by 12 per cent. This trend indicates that round-trip tourism in the north is particularly attractive to international travellers.
The European Capital of Culture year and improving flight connections are supporting growth
The growth in tourism is still linked to the ongoing Oulu2026 European Capital of Culture year and strengthening flight connections. July is Oulu’s busiest month for tourism, and the Capital of Culture programme coincided with the peak season in full force. The strong growth in passenger numbers at Oulu Airport, in turn, reflects Oulu’s improved international accessibility.
The forecast for August for paid accommodation is +23 per cent in Oulu and +7 per cent in the Pohjola Route area compared with the same month last year.