Finland’s Levi Sees Record Business With UK Biggest International Market
Finland’s Levi Sees Record Business With UK Biggest International Market
Published : 20-May-2024 02:56
Levi in Finnish Lapland uses snowfarming to ensure a seven-month winter ski season with snow guaranteed from early October to early May.
That policy has paid off, the resort, Finland's largest, says, with record business in the 23-24 season which ended earlier this month. They did especially well at the start of the season, from October to December last autumn, when Alpine glaciers opened later than usual, in many cases not until late November.
"At the start of the season, in October 2023, the number of international overnight stays increased by 49% compared to the same period the previous year. Growth continued more moderately in November (23%) and even into the first weeks of December," a Levi spokesperson said.
Part of the focus on early opening is to provide a training ground for ski race teams who have fewer and fewer out-of-season options as glaciers close. That paid off for Levi who report that in October and November, 34 Alpine Ski World Cup teams and 11 European Cup teams trained there.
"It's great to see how investing in the Alpine Ski World Cup and improving conditions supports the overall development of tourism in the area. Our goal is to seek growth from year-round tourism, and extending the winter season is the first important step in this development. At the same time, we are investing in increasing customer flows during the snow-free period to ensure balanced and sustainable development of the area," says Satu Pesonen, CEO of Visit Levi.
The UK continues to be Levi's largest international customer base, with the French following in second place and the Dutch close behind. The number of overnight stays by Dutch, Belgian, and Irish visitors increased the most during the 2023-2024 winter season.
"During the winter season, the number of skiing customers on the slopes reached a record 570,000. Additionally, the single-day customer record was broken in week 8, when on Sunday, February 25th, there were an astonishing 10,000 skiers on the slopes. The revenue from ski pass sales increased by 7.2% compared to the previous fiscal year," says Marko Mustonen," says Marko Mustonen, Commercial Director of Levi Ski Resort.
With that 7 month season, even though its only a fortnight since the 23-24 season ended, it's now only 4.5 months until the 24-25 season begins. Next winter will kick off on Levi's trails and slopes on October 4th, and in November, the 20th anniversary of the Levi World Cup will be celebrated.
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