Travel agencies across Finland have seen an increase in sales for foreign destinations as the number of people keen to travel abroad increases.
At the moment, city breaks and package holidays are particularly popular, according to Timo Kousa, CEO of Finnish travel agency Aurinkomatkat. The agency has recorded an uptick in bookings and expanded its selection of destinations.
Laura Aaltonen, director of communications at travel agency TUI Finland, also said the company had recently broadened its selection of holiday destinations. However, the number of travel destinations on offer is still less than before the pandemic.
The rise in travel numbers might be due to loosening travel restrictions across European holiday destinations, according to Aaltonen. Additionally, although Covid certificates are still often required, countries such as Greece and Turkey, which are especially popular getaways, have waived the need for a Covid-related arrival form, Aaltonen said.
Aurinkomatka's Kousa said he believed travel numbers will gradually return to pre-Covid levels as travel restrictions continue to loosen, and most holidaymakers have now received vaccinations and certificates that many countries require.
The war in Ukraine does not appear to have impacted demand for spring destination travel. Kousa said that Aurinkomatkat mainly uses Finnair, which no longer flies in Ukrainian airspace.
TUI’s Aaltonen also said the war does not seem to have affected the decisions of people hoping to book a holiday.
However, Russia's attack on Ukraine has impacted agencies’ trips to Thailand and other Asian destinations, which have been re-routed due to the flight ban over Russia, Aaltonen added.