Weekend traffic is normally brisk between the twin cities of Tornio, on the Finnish side of the border and Haparanda, Sweden, with a steady flow in both directions.
Sweden has benefited most from cross-border shopping in recent years. The kingdom's currency has been relatively weak against the euro, which has attracted both locals looking for bargains, as well as shoppers from further afield.
The cheaper alcohol and tobacco products are particularly appealing, and the opportunity for savings at the furniture giant Ikea also attracts customers from all over northern Finland to Haparanda. Locals in border areas are also accustomed to buying groceries and fuel from their western neighbours.
According to Eija-Sinikka Juho, contact manager of Tornio's Rajalla shopping centre, located right on the border of Finland and Sweden, this trade benefits both cities, regardless of exchange rates.
"Last year, the shopping centre attracted 2.1 million visitors and generated sales of 50.3 million euros. It's been this high for the last few years," says Juho, and points out that being along the busy main route between Finland and Sweden is a major advantage.
An alternative to congested Rovaniemi
In terms of tourism numbers, the southwest region of Lapland, known in Finnish as "Meri-Lappi" (Sea Lapland), trails far behind Rovaniemi and the region's ski resorts, but recent growth has been strong.
Eija-Sinikka Juho says that last year number of registered overnight stays in Tornio jumped by 25 percent. Haparanda, just across the bridge is also attracting more tourists.
The Cape East Spa Hotel in Haparanda says on its website that French visitors arriving on charter flights have booked the hotel to capacity until the end of March. According to Eija-Sinikka Juho, French tourists have crossed over to Tornio shop in Finland.
Minna Takanen, sales manager of Park Hotel Tornio, is also pleased with the significant rise in tourist numbers. In January, the volume of the hotel's international trade increased by 50 percent over figures for January 2024.
"Tornio- Haparanda is attractive to Asian visitors, for example. The start of the new year in a border region, where the year changes twice is a unique experience. We have already sold out we have already sold out new year's bookings up to 2028," Minna Takanen explains.
Takanen believes that Sea Lapland has already become a viable alternative to the rest of Lapland, and particularly to Rovaniemi, for tour operators, because of overcrowding.
"We offer the same hotel and programme services, but, at least for the time being, at a lower price. We also have a quieter environment, which is obviously appreciated by a tourist coming from a city of a million or more inhabitants, for example. We're hoping the upward trend continues," says Takanen.