People today want to be active while on holiday, too. The choice of holiday destination is increasingly influenced by the recreational opportunities a tourism business or the local surroundings can offer. According to Leena Pajala, tourism coordinator at the Regional Council of Central Finland, tourism businesses in the region as a whole are well capable of responding to megatrends in the tourism industry.
Central Finlands strength lies in the variety of what it has to offer. Businesses possess strong expertise as organizers of conferences and congresses as well as on the workplace well-being, rehabilitation and recreational activity side. We also have the most popular ski centre in the whole of southern Finland, Himos in the municipality of Jämsä, which will develop in years to come into a free time centre operating throughout the year. In addition we are fortunate to have lots of small rural tourist locations that are big on character.
Last year in Central Finland just over a million bed-nights were recorded. Foreign visitors accounted for almost 17 per cent of this figure. Central Finland proved of interest to Germans, Estonians and Russians.
In recent years a number of plans to develop tourist centres and their networks have been drawn up in Central Finland. This development work aims at the creation of tourist centres with a strong individual flavour and also at boosting visitor flows.
Himos, a tourist centre located in the municipality of Jämsä in southern Central Finland, is aiming to become an international leisure complex operating all year round. Attracting a million overnight visitors a year means making substantial investments. In the near future the area will acquire a spa and apartment hotel, hundreds of holiday homes and two golf courses.
The planning of various projects will get under way this year and construction during 2008. Keskimaa co-operative intends to build a quality spa hotel and in addition approximately 300 chalets equipped to a high standard will go up in the area. The international Holiday Club chain will get involved in the timeshare business here, reveals Project Manager Hannu Pelkonen of Jämsä Region Development Company Jämsek.
In the future Himos will also grow into an important boating centre. Construction of the biggest boat harbour on Lake Päijänne, complete with modern harbour facilities, has begun. Taking advantage of the link to Päijänne will serve to increase the volume of boat traffic, which in turn will boost tourism entrepreneurship across the region as a whole, Pelkonen predicts. The point of departure for developing Himos is the Jämsä Regions Master Plan for tourism.
According to the plan, at the foot of the Central Himos ski slopes a compact centre will be built which will connect the Himos slopes to a wide range of tourist, event and free time services. At the same time HimosCenter and the city of Jämsä will gradually merge, allowing visitors to take advantage of the citys services, too.
Himos, situated close to the city of Jämsä, is Finlands third most popular ski centre. Last year 67000 visitors took advantage of the accommodation at Himos. The number of bed nights totalled approximately 250 000. Foreign visitors accounted for roughly 30 per cent of this figure. Himos is particularly popular with visitors from the Baltic countries, Holland and Russia.
When the building projects are complete it is believed that Himos appeal will rise to totally new heights. Himos in its present state has already extended its popularity as a year-round tourist destination.
According to Hannu Haljala, Managing Director of HimosLomat Oy, the company responsible for accommodation and additional services, for three years now the month of June has been better in terms of turnover than the previous January. This year July will be on a par with February. At Himos determined work has been put in to develop a range of extra holiday services for all seasons of the year.
In summer we arrange ATV and boat safaris and in winter safaris by snowmobile. Guests can also try swimming in icy water wearing an immersion suit.
HimosLomats latest investment is the 1 200-seat HimosAreena, a fun venue, where visitors can have a meal, hold meetings and enjoy concerts and other forms of entertainment. In June the area around the HimosAreena provides the setting for an established midsummer happening, the Himos Festival. This rock and pop festival has attracted over 30 000 music fans each year.
Himos currently has an accommodation capacity of 2 650 beds. The majority of the accommodation on offer consists of holiday cottages equipped to a high standard. The centres hotel, Himoshotelli, has 155 beds.
According to Hannu Hajala 50 new holiday homes are under construction and in the latter half of the year another 30 building projects will get under way. Hannu Pelkonen promises 50 new holiday homes each year for the next ten years.
Holiday centres are traditionally big users of energy. Himos is acting as a pilot scheme in this respect, one that makes use of high-tech heat pump and air conditioning systems. We want to support construction that is in line with sustainable development. Using the new equipment energy costs can be cut by as much as 3040 per cent.
A new snowmaking system is also set to be introduced at Himos. Behind the innovation are Jämsä-based Multi-Snowtech Oy and MG Innovaatiot Oy of Kajaani, which have conducted cooperation with Helsinki University of Technology.
Revontuli Golf is located amidst unspoilt lake scenery in Hankasalmi, less than an hours drive from Jyväskylä. The almost brand new course is an 18 hole links-style golf oasis that is forgiving and offers ample space. The ridge which runs across the area divides the course into two, bringing with it some differences in height that add interest and challenge.
According to Managing Director Kauki Mikkonen the courses strength lies in the wide fairways, which never become overloaded even during the peak playing month of July. Both 9 hole loops of the course start and finish right outside Lomakeskus Revontuli holiday centre. An excellent way of ending a golf day is to experience a real smoke sauna and move from there to the dance restaurant. Accommodation for corporate visitors can be arranged in a lake shore villa sleeping 50, well-appointed cottages or hotel rooms.
At Savutuvan Apaja visitors have an excellent opportunity to acquaint themselves with Central Finlands rustic heritage on the shore of beautiful Lake Päijänne. At Haapaniemi in Jyväskylä Rural Municipality the Apponen family have assembled thirty or so ancient farm buildings and created around them a heritage area with a unique atmosphere.
In spite of the museum-like surroundings Savutuvan Apaja provides modern services for groups and family occasions. The restaurant, set into an imposing cliff face, is big enough for 120 people to celebrate and dine in comfort.
In the future Savutuvan Apaja will also undergo extension to become a Wellness Centre. According to entrepreneur Markku Apponen construction of a health spa will begin in 2008. The spa will provide high-quality health services and other treatments. The spa and timeshare cottages will be completed in 2009.
Varjola Farm is situated in Laukaa, at the heart of three important watercourses. The business specializes in services linked to fishing and other water-based forms of tourism. From the farm on the bank of the Kuusaa rapids it is easy to make fishing trips to the watercourse that joins lakes Keitele and Päijänne. This consists of several small lakes and three sets of rapids famous for their trout. The lakes are rich in pike, zander and perch.
Guided fishing trips are run by Juha Happonen and Timo Koikkalainen, both of whom have received the fishing guide of the year award. A good fishing guide knows the water like the back of his hand as well as how to catch fish in different weather conditions and at different times of the year, explains Markus Kallio, who runs the farm.
Varjola Farm is also well known for its saunas. Some relaxing steam can be enjoyed in a new luxury smoke sauna, an exotic tent sauna or in a log sauna equipped with a special stove which is heated just once. The cornerstone of Varjola Farms success is good food. Visitors to the restaurant, built in a large stone cow house, can enjoy the delights of a Central Finnish buffet table, put together chiefly from locally-sourced ingredients.
Häkärinteet is a ski centre for the whole family located in Hankasalmi, right in the middle of Finland. In addition to 12 ski slopes the surrounding area features a network of ski trails extending over 50 kilometres.
In the course of last winter some major investments were made at the centre. The main restaurant was extended, with meeting facilities and a young peoples area also being added. The fully licensed restaurant now seats 520 people.
Häkärinteets managing director, Jukka Kirjavainen, promises that investments are not going to stop there. Häkärinteet has an ambitious plan to see a hotel and a holiday village consisting of dozens of cottages rise in the vicinity of the slopes.
We already have five superbly equipped cottages measuring over 120 square metres fully finished. In addition, there are 43 free plots in the area and planning permission for a hotel, too. Were currently looking for people who want to build, as well as a hotel entrepreneur. Häkärinteet welcomes approximately 35 000 visitors each year. Kirjavainen believes that the number of visitors can be doubled. He regards cooperation between ski centres in Central Finland as a key resource.
Peurunka Wellness Holiday Center is known for its high-quality sports and leisure facilities. The spa hotel situated in Laukaa belongs to a group of businesses operating under the Peurunka Center name and offering visitors a wide range of services.
In the area around Lake Peurunkajärvi it is possible to hike, ski, paddle a canoe or experience the thrills of an off-road safari. Just a few kilometres away there are opportunities for rapids fishing, golf and riding. The spa hotels entertainment centre features live music and dancing virtually every day. Next spring an ice hall and facilities for curling will be completed.
Close to Lake Peurunkajärvi were building a number of high-quality chalets. The holiday homes will be sold fully furnished and decorated. In addition to living in great surroundings owners will be able to take advantage of the restaurant, spa and recreational facilities as well as catering and cleaning services, says Managing Director Seppo Virta.
Photo (above): Over the next few years Häkärinteet ski centre will acquire dozens of new cottages and a hotel. Photo by Ilkka Jaakola
Photo2 (below): Helena Nuutinen appearing as Mistress of Kaleva, a figure based on Finnish folklore, at Savutuvan Apaja. (Photo Matti Salmi)
Photo3 (below):- Peurunka Center comprises the Peurunka spa hotel plus a network of entrepreneurs providing leisure services. (Photo Peurunka)
Photo4 (below): Located on the edge of the Kuusaa rapids, Varjola Farm offers great opportunities for fishing and other water-based leisure activities. (Photo: Keijo Penttinen)
Photo5 (below): Revontuli Golfs wide fairways never become overloaded even during the peak month of July. (Photo: Keijo Penttinen)
By Pia Tervoja