Matka 2026: Conversations, Commitments, and Culture in Focus

 

This week in Helsinki, Matka Travel Fair once again reminded me why this event still matters. Not because of spectacle, but because of conversations that are practical, sometimes challenging, and often useful.

The week started with the professional days. Those early days are about work in the most concrete sense. Meetings with tour operators, partners, and industry colleagues focused on how Northern Finland is positioned right now, and how we continue to make it relevant in a changing market. Demand patterns, product fit, and realistic expectations were at the centre of those discussions. Promotion is only meaningful if it connects to something that can actually be delivered.

From Friday to Sunday, the fair opened to the public. Our stand shifted tone and purpose. This year, Oulu2026 was front and centre. Culture was not an add-on but the story itself. Visitors were curious, engaged, and often pleasantly surprised by how broad the year looks beyond individual events. Many conversations started with curiosity and ended with people staying longer than planned, asking follow-up questions, and imagining a future visit.

I want to say a clear thank you to the Visit Northern Finland / Pohjola Route team. The stand worked because the people working it knew the story, the region, and the audiences. Trade fairs are long days and repetitive questions, but the energy stayed professional and happy throughout. That matters more than most people realise.

One personal highlight was taking part in a panel discussion on the German market, organised by NordicMarketing’s Matkailun aamukahviseura LIVE. The discussion stayed close to reality. We talked about demand beyond Lapland, seasonality, buyer expectations, and the often underestimated gap between interest and actual bookings. From an Oulu and regional perspective, it was useful to reflect on how cities, coast, and year-round products are increasingly part of the picture. Not instead of Lapland, but alongside it.

What stayed with me from both the panel and the stand conversations was a shared sense that strategy only works when it is grounded. Markets change slowly. Products need clarity. And trust is built through repeated, honest interaction. Events like Matka do not deliver instant results, but they do move thinking forward, one conversation at a time.

That feels like progress worth returning for.