The approximately 150 conferences taking place in Helsinki this year are expected to attract a total of 65,000 participants. The conferences will boost business, trade and employment in Helsinki, and the total economic impact they will bring to the city will be around 130 million euros.
“Helsinki is a noteworthy option as the destination of large international conferences. The city’s strengths are its efficient arrangements, good infrastructure, sustainable methods, friendly people with good language skills and the ease of getting around,” says the City of Helsinki’s tourism director Nina Vesterinen.
“The international recognition Helsinki has received for its sustainability as a tourist destination is another significant factor when conference organisers consider their destination options,” Vesterinen says.
City residents gain a wide range of benefits from conferences
The benefits that conferences offer to the city are not all about the money the conference guests bring in; Helsinki believes that it is important for the conferences to also offer other benefits to the city and its residents.
The long-term legacy of conferences includes advantages such as their contributions to research, networking, commercial relationships and attracting talent. Helsinki-based operators also have the chance to showcase their competence and innovations. Conferences also have a major role in promoting the image and event production competence of Helsinki.
“Conferences also help spread timely information to the city residents. For example, at the Alzheimer Europe Conference, venue and hotel staff were trained to interact with people with memory problems. Similarly, information about preventing strokes was distributed to the people in connection to a conference about strokes,” says Leena Lassila, Director of Visitor and Talent Attraction at Helsinki Partners.
Top brain health experts in town around Midsummer
Europe's largest forum on neurology convened in Helsinki around Midsummer, when the Congress of the European Academy of Neurology, with around 6,000 participants, took place at Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre from 21 to 25 June.
Public Brain Health Day was observed in connection with the conference. Intended for patients, professionals and anyone interested in the topic, the event aimed to increase understanding of brain health.
In addition to neurologists, international top talents from fields such as hand surgery, public health, paediatric rheumatology, planetary science and pharmacology will assemble in Helsinki over this summer and autumn.
Helsinki is an attractive destination for the conference sector
“Helsinki is still a new and interesting destination for many international conference guests: the city makes people curious and makes them want to experience something different. This makes Helsinki an even more attractive option for future events and holidays,” states tourism director Vesterinen.
All in all, Helsinki is also an interesting destination for visitors arriving at the city for reasons other than conferences. Last year, 4.55 million nights were spent at the accommodation services of Helsinki, which is an all-time record. This year, more monthly nights have been recorded than ever before from January to April, and the summer is also shaping up to be exceptionally busy.
“Despite the growth in tourism, Helsinki can still easily accommodate more visitors, and it is important for Helsinki that the growth in tourism is sustainable from the point of view of residents," concludes Vesterinen.
