A Helsinki we can be proud of.
In our knowledge-based management, we focus on the effective utilisation of existing data and on using this data to drive change, rather than on platform development and data acquisition. We are investing more heavily in developing our digital discoverability and purchasability. We recognise artificial intelligence as a key driver of change, and we are building a competitive advantage based on our expertise in and use of AI.
DataLokki – Helsinki Destination Insights as a knowledge-based management tool for Helsinki Travel and Tourism
DataLokki – Helsinki Destination Insights provides data and analytics on tourism and events to businesses, the media and other operators in Helsinki. The service provides statistics on areas such as tourist profiles, visitor numbers, spending, tourism revenue and employment, service experiences, overnight stays, hotel occupancy rates, the number of events, and ferry and air traffic. The aim is to support decision-making by providing evidence-based and up-to-date information. DataLokki is being developed in a user- and needs-oriented manner, drawing on ongoing dialogue with the business community and other stakeholders. The service development partner is Moontalk Oy(Link leads to external service). Some of the content is freely available, but more extensive information, such as forecasts and tourism trends, can be accessed by joining the Helsingin tekijät network.
DataLokki – Helsinki Destination Insights
DataLokki Public Dashboard(Link leads to external service)
The Handbook for Knowledge-based Management in Tourism (in Finnish)
Visit Finland's Handbook for Knowledge-based Management in Tourism is a guide for companies and regional organizations on knowledge-based management. The handbook defines knowledge-based management and its dimensions and describes its utilization as a source of competitiveness.
The Handbook for Knowledge-based Management in Tourism (in Finnish)(Link leads to external service)
Cooperation model for knowledge-based management in tourism (in Finnish)
The guiding objective of Visit Finland's cooperation model is to increase tourism demand and achieve profitable growth. The model provides regions, businesses and other operators in the ecosystem with structures and practices that help coordinate cooperation and make effective use of information.
Opportunities from Data - A Guide to Utilizing Data for Tourism Businesses (In Finnish)
This guide provides information on the opportunities, methods, and tools for utilizing data, as well as tourism data producers and data sources. It includes real-life examples to help understand the potential benefits of data. The guide is primarily aimed at small and medium-sized tourism businesses for whom leveraging data to support their operations may not yet be very familiar. However, even those more advanced in the world of data can benefit from and be inspired by the guide.
Digital Visitor Guide
One of the most common reasons to visit the Helsinki Tourist Information Office is to pick up a map of Helsinki. In addition to traditional paper maps, the Helsinki Tourist Information Office offers a digital guide and map showcasing everything Helsinki has to offer visitors. The guide communicates with tourists digitally, tailoring the message to the specific angle known to enhance the visitor’s experience for each particular topic. Many tourism operators have also adopted the digital guide for use in their own services. These include Helsinki Cathedral, the Governing Body of Suomenlinna, Port of Helsinki and Viking Line, among others. This means that visitors to Helsinki can access a wide range of up-to-date information about the city through a single platform. The digital guide uses AI for translations, allowing destinations to offer information to their visitors in as many as 62 languages!
Digital Visitor Guide and Interactive Map for Helsinki (Reveel)(Link leads to external service)
Free visibility for tourism and event operators through databases
Helsinki’s tourism and events data are maintained in three main databases.
Are you a business owner or representative? By submitting your service information to the databases below, your company will gain extensive visibility, completely free of charge, on the regional, national and international channels that use these databases. Please also remember to update your information regularly to keep it up to date.
Are you an app provider for travel and events data? Read below to find out which open interfaces are available to you for free.
-
Submit your information to the City Platform Service
Are you a business owner or representative? The City Platform database maintained by the City of Helsinki is used, among other things, in the MyHelsinki.fi online service and it is offered in an open interface to third parties. Through electronic authentication, you can conveniently manage the details of your company and add photos. Without authentication you can also give us a tip if you notice a location is missing. The City of Helsinki’s Tourism and Destination Management unit checks all submitted information before publishing and reserves the right to accept, modify, or reject it.
-
Submit your event to the Helsinki Event Calendar
We publish information about events in Helsinki free of charge in the event ca(Link leads to external service) lendar on the Myhelsinki.fi website(Link leads to external service) and the City of Helsinki event calendar.(Link leads to external service) By submitting your event to this calendar, it will be displayed in all of the City of Helsinki’s event calendar and other digital platforms that make use of the city’s Linked Events API. The City of Helsinki’s Tourism and Destination Management unit has the right to choose the material to be published and to edit the text to suit the website. Learn more about the criteria(Link leads to external service) and submit your event using the form. The information you provide will also be used for event statistics. By submitting your event, you also help to highlight the importance of the event industry in Helsinki.
Enter event information here(Link leads to external service)
-
Submit your product information to Visit Finland’s DataHub
Visit Finland DataHub is a database where Finnish companies providing tourism and event services can insert information about their company and the products and services they offer. The API allows different operators to search for and publish information on companies and products in the tourism sector through their own channels. The activity products featured on the MyHelsinki website(Link leads to external service) are from DataHub. The utilisation of DataHub and the API is free of charge for its users. The City of Helsinki’s Tourism and Destination Management unit moderates the product information of Helsinki-based companies before publishing.
Tourism innovation challenges
A well-functioning ecosystem is essential for a successful city in terms of tourism and events. The City of Helsinki supports tourism operators and fosters the emergence of new innovations by facilitating agile trials and tourism innovation challenges as part of its Testbed Helsinki activities. Tourism innovation challenges have been carried out since 2025, with excellent results. The trials are procured directly from companies and carried out in a real-world urban environment. The theme, timing and testing environment varies for each challenge.
Testbed Helsinki – a city-sized test platform(Link leads to external service)
Digital Visibility Programme
Helsinki’s Digital Visibility Programme offers businesses practical support for developing their business operations. The aim of the programme is to enhance businesses’ digital findability and expertise, and to build a cohesive and attractive image of Helsinki as a tourist destination.
Companies taking part in the programme receive tailored sparring, a clear report and concrete recommendations for action that can be implemented straight away. The programme yields quick results: the vast majority of companies that have completed the programme have improved their digital visibility during the programme in just a few months. The Digital Visibility Programme is scheduled to take place annually, and all member companies of the Helsingin tekijät network are eligible to apply free of charge.
What else is going on in smart city development?
Expert, Smart Tourism
Henna Siltanen
Senior Advisor, Tourism
+358 40 168 3318(Link starts a phone call)
henna.siltanen@hel.fi(Link opens default mail program)