Tourism in Pori is consistently performing well

In terms of statistics, the tourism year of 2023 in Pori was successful, and overall, the figures remained on par with the peak numbers of 2022. Last year, there were a total of 301,000 overnight stays in Pori, which is about one percent less than in 2022. Of these overnight stays, 79 percent occurred in registered accommodation facilities, totaling 237,000 nights, while 21 percent were in unregistered accommodation, totaling 64,200 nights. There was a slight increase in the total accommodation revenue, reaching €17.1 million, which is one percent more than in 2022.

“In terms of overnight stays, the years 2022 and 2023 are similar. In 2023, there was growth in overnight stays, especially in spring and autumn, while there was a decline during the summer months compared to 2022. There is also a change in leisure and business travel. The number of overnight stays by leisure travelers increased by 1.9 percent, while that of business travelers decreased by 8.3 percent compared to 2022,” says Maria Rasmussen, tourism expert at the City of Pori.

Domestic travelers stayed a total of 208,000 overnight stays in Pori last year, averaging 1.6 nights per traveler. The number of overnight stays by international travelers in 2023 was 28,800, with an average of 3.5 nights per traveler. Interest from Germans in Finland was evident in Pori’s accommodation statistics, alongside Swedes, French, and Estonians.

“The number of international overnight stays increased impressively by nearly 10 percent compared to 2022. We have conducted international campaigns in Germany in collaboration with Finnlines and coastal city campaigns in Sweden. These campaigns are clearly yielding results,” Rasmussen rejoices.

More stays in unregistered accommodations

In 2023, the number of nights stayed in unregistered accommodation increased by approximately 5.4 percent compared to the previous year, while the number of nights stayed in registered accommodations decreased by 2.4 percent. The supply of accommodation continued to grow steadily in unregistered accommodation. About 40 new AirBnB and Vrbo accommodations and apartments entered the market, and the availability of individual rooms also increased by over 80.

“AirBnB-style accommodation is clearly attracting more and more travelers. Especially international travelers want to experience local culture and life by staying in private homes hosted by locals,” concludes Rasmussen.