Posts Tagged ‘tourism’
Turku’s cruise summer combines familiar Favorites with Premium first-time visits
Rising gracefully from a maze of islands and skerries, Turku has become one of the Baltic Sea’s most appealing cruise destinations. Smooth port operations, from efficient disembarkation to clear passenger guidance, create ideal conditions for an unforgettable city visit. From the modern quay and terminal area, a short and straightforward route leads directly into the city centre, framed by the scenic Aura River, leafy parks and vibrant cultural quarters.
Turku Cathedral, the city’s museums and the medieval Turku Castle reflect a long and layered history. At the same time, the city’s strong culinary scene and the calm rhythm of a university town are felt in small yet lively everyday details, making the heart of Turku welcoming and easy to explore even during a short port call.
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Originally published on 7 May
Read MoreThe Port of Klaipėda opens the cruise season: over 60 ships expected and a passenger record in sight
The first cruise ship of the season has already arrived the Port of Klaipėda. This year, more than 60 impressive ships will arrive at the port, bringing a record number of tourists to the region.
“On Saturday, we welcomed the first cruise ship of the season – the Bahamas-flagged MS Hamburg. The first ship arrived nearly full, bringing not only several hundred tourists but also a promise of an active and record-breaking season. We expect around 90,000 tourists to reach Lithuania through the Port of Klaipėda this year – a record in the port’s history. And when we look ahead to 2027, we already see over 100 ships and even more travelers. This confirms that our decision to develop a new cruise terminal was timely – it will significantly improve the quality of passenger experience and strengthen Lithuania’s image as an attractive cruise destination,” says Algis Latakas, CEO of Klaipėda State Seaport Authority.
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Originally published on 4 May
Read MoreFrom retrofit support to port electrification: Estonia brings a full-chain maritime transition approach to Seatrade Cruise Global 2026
As cruise and other maritime operators face growing pressure to cut emissions, modernize vessels, and upgrade port infrastructure, Estonia is bringing a practical maritime transition approach to Seatrade Cruise Global 2026. The Northern European country presents a connected ecosystem spanning €25 million state-backed retrofit support, port electrification, digital systems, and companies across the whole maritime value chain.
Across shipping, the green transition is increasingly being shaped by implementation. Decarbonization is no longer only about newbuilds, but also about how existing vessels can be modernized in a practical way – improving efficiency, upgrading passenger areas, and preparing ships for new fuels within real refit windows and operational limits.
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Originally published on 10 Apr
Read MoreOulu strengthened its status as an international conference city in 2025 – the Capital of Culture year began with strong growth in tourism
Oulu’s position as an international conference and congress city was strengthened by the growth in events held in 2025. At the same time, recent tourism statistics show that 2026 has started strongly for both tourism in Oulu and the Pohjola Route region. This growth is supported by increased event activity, the visibility brought by the Capital of Culture year, and growing international interest in Northern Finland.
According to recent statistics from the Finland Convention Bureau, 36 international congresses were held in Oulu last year, which is five more than in 2024. This result placed Oulu sixth in the comparison of Finnish congress cities.
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Originally published on 9 Mar
Read MoreBaltic Sea Cruise Activity Rises in 2025 as More Ports See Growth
The newly published Cruise Baltic Market Review shows broad‑based growth in 2025, with many medium‑sized and large destinations reporting increases in calls, guests, and turnarounds. This indicates a more balanced and resilient regional cruise market.
In 2025, the cruise activity in the region increased from 2024 in terms of guests, port calls, and turnarounds with respectively 12.3%, 12.8%, and 5.6%.
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Originally published on 2 Mar
Read MoreHurtigruten opens a new route from Copenhagen to North Cape and Tromsø
Hurtigruten is launching a new sailing from Copenhagen to Tromsø via North Cape as one of three new routes along Norway’s coast. The new itinerary gives Scandinavians and international travelers the opportunity to journey from the continent to the Arctic, with stops in some of Norway’s most iconic coastal towns and natural areas.
Demand from Scandinavia is growing strongly. The number of Danish customers has increased by 17 percent from 2024 to 2025, while the number of Swedish travelers has grown by 20 percent during the same period.
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Originally published on 12 Feb
Read MoreCross-border collaboration can strengthen sustainable cultural tourism
Strong and durable collaboration between cultural actors and tourism stakeholders across Northern Sweden and Northern Finland could play an important role in strengthening regional development in the Bothnian Arc. This conclusion is presented in a new white paper produced within the ACCENT project, a cross-border collaboration between the University of Oulu, Luleå University of Technology, LTU Business, and the Oulu Culture Foundation.
The white paper, Opening pathways to sustainable cultural tourism in the North, presents evidence-based insights from the ACCENT project on how culture-led tourism can support sustainable regional development across Northern Sweden and Northern Finland.
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Originally published on 9 Feb
Read MoreCopenhagen wins Best Northern Europe Cruise Port award
Copenhagen has been voted Best Northern Europe Cruise Port by Spanish‑speaking cruise guests at the prestigious Cruceroadicto 2025 Awards. This is the fourth cruise award won by Copenhagen during the past five months
Award winners are determined directly by votes from Spanish‑speaking cruise guests who have travelled at least once on a cruise during the past 12 months. Candidate ports for the award are only those accessible to the Spanish‑speaking market. With almost 70,000 arrivals in 2025, Spanish cruise guests made up the third-largest single nationality group visiting the Danish capital by ship.
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Originally published on 6 Feb
Read MoreBring out the troll Bornholm’s mascot gets a redux
For an elusive troll, Bornholm’s Krølle Bølle is surprisingly easy to find. Pop into a tourist shop and you will see his likeness on any sort of merchandise imaginable.
Originally a good-night story inspired by local legends and told to by its creator to his children, Krølle Bølle was introduced to the rest of Denmark in print eighty years ago this year. Overuse led Krølle-Bølle to be associated with the sort of tourism no-one wants to be associated with, and, for the past few decades, the island’s tourism industry has excluded its most recognisable figure from its marketing.
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The low point came in 2008, when a dairy on the mainland bought the rights to the Krølle Bølle Is, an ice-cream novelty that came on the market in 1958. These days, though, Krølle Bølle appears to have been rehabilitated. In 2023, Bornholms Ismejeri, a dairy, brought production of the ice-cream novelty back to the island—upgrading it to a premium-quality product in the process.
That same year, the silhouettes of Krølle Bølle and Krølle Borra, his sister, were added to crossing lights at intersections in Rønne, the island’s administrative seat. This weekend, a partly-animated film featuring Krølle Bølle that is due for national distribution premiered in Rønne, marking the first time the figure has appeared on a screen of any sort.
Rumour has it Walt Disney had expressed an interest in co-opting the story for his studio in the 1950s. True or not, ultimately, it took a Bornholmer, Nina Lyng, a producer who was born on the island, to get it on the screen.
Part of the film’s magic is the combination of live action and animation, another appears to be the spell it has cast on the local tourism industry: Destination Bornholm, which promotes the island on behalf of the council, describes Krølle Bølle as a symbol of Bornholm’s culture and identity, and is planning an advertising campaign in connection with the film’s national premiere. In other words, Krølle Bølle, is precisely the sort of marketing opportunity it wants to be associated with.
Strong cruise performance in 2025 and positive outlook for 2026
Across Copenhagen, Malmö, and Visby, the cruise segment continues to show resilience and strong growth potential. The trends for 2026 reflect a clear focus on extended seasons, increased turn‑around calls, shore power and new ship deployments — reinforcing the region’s strategic importance in the European cruise market.
The 2025 cruise season in Copenhagen performed as expected, with 316 calls and almost 866,500 passengers. Additional calls were recorded due to ship repositioning from other regions, underlining Copenhagen’s role as a key Northern European hub.
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Originally published on 29 Jan
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