Aerial photo of two persons sup boarding in Jyväskylä

The Jyväskylä Region and ”Europe’s coolest city” Jyväskylä present at Matka Travel Fair

Visit Jyväskylä Region will participate in the Travel Fair to be held at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre from 16-19 January 2025, together with nine tourism professionals from the Jyväskylä Region. In the joint stand (6k2) shared with Visit Lahti, Päijänne-Risteilyt Hilden, Himos-Jämsä, Rhea Ship Lines Oy, HimosLomat, Revontuli Resort, Varjola, Juurikkasaari, Alvar Aalto Route and Break Sokos Hotel Himos will participate from Jyväskylä Region.

– One could say that the travel year officially starts with the Travel Fair in Helsinki. In addition to good consumer contacts, we expect to gain new useful media and tour operator contacts during the fair days,” says Susanne Rasmus, Tourism Director of Visit Jyväskylä Region.

– The more opportunities we get to promote the area as a travel destination, the more interest there is in Lakeland, Jyväskylä Region, and Jyväskylä. The Sunday Times naming Jyväskylä as ‘Europe’s coolest city’ was a great example of a positive snowball effect. It is certainly the result of many factors, but the content and themes highlighted in the article were directly from the landing pages of our summer campaign aimed at the UK last year (*). The significant increase in website traffic from the UK also indicates growing interest,” Rasmus rejoices.

Visit Jyväskylä Region will participate in the fair not only during the professional and consumer days but also in the Matka Workshop Day event, where the area is marketed to tour operators. This is the largest travel industry sales and purchase event in Northern Europe. Additionally, before the fair, international tour operators have been exploring the tourism offerings of Jyväskylä Region as part of the fair’s pre-tour. Media and influencers will be met especially on the professional day.

New offerings for 2025 on display: bus services to national parks and a new hotel in Himos

A new service to be presented at the fair is Outdoor Express, which will be launched in the Jyväskylä Region next summer. The service will transport tourists and locals from Jyväskylä to Leivonmäki, Etelä-Konnevesi and Pyhä-Häkki National Parks by direct bus service. Outdoor Express tickets will go on sale during the Travel Fair on Matkahuolto’s website. The Visit Jyväskylä Region booth will provide a pre-code for the tickets.

Another newcomer for the year 2025 that will be presented at the exhibition stand is break Sokos Hotel Himos, which will open in Jämsä Himos at the end of the year.

Greetings from the tourism professionals participating in the stand

In Himos-Jämsä, there are activities for travelers all year round. Himos offers the best and award-winning slopes in Southern Finland, charming huskies and moose, and cottages for every need. In the summer, the golf greens, Finland’s only Sauna Village, and a festival lineup ranging from schlager to 90s hits. The outdoor swimming pool’s sports park, the Wanha Witonen canoeing route, the accessible nature destination Synninlukko, and rural tourism destinations offer experiences for everyone.

At HimosLomat, cottage vacations are enjoyed year-round; now we are enjoying the best of winter, even though the summer of events, golf, and cottage life is already approaching. The Willi Länsi entertainment center, experienced through the seasons, complemented HimosLomat’s services with a variety of activities. HimosLomat, which has received the Sustainable Travel Finland label, responds to customer wishes by offering easily accessible, responsible experiences. Find the best offers of the year at Himos!

The Alvar Aalto Route is a cultural route of the Council of Europe that connects the unique sites designed by the world-renowned architect Alvar Aalto. Travel packages and programs, as well as tips for Aalto tourism, guide visitors to experience fascinating architectural and design heritage, beautiful nature, and local specialties. Welcome to the Alvar Aalto Route in Finland and across Europe. https://visit.alvaraalto.fi

(*) https://visitjyvaskyla.fi/en/why-jyvaskyla-region/

For more information

Susanne Rasmus, Tourism Director, Visit Jyväskylä Region
[email protected]
p. +358400 885 786

Päivi Heikkala, Destination Specialist, Visit Jyväskylä Region
[email protected]
p. +35840 749 7969