Over the three-year period considered, there has been a clear improvement in the occupancy rate of business premises located in Helsinki city centre. The occupancy rate of these business premises is currently 92.12 per cent. The source of this information is the vitality survey conducted in late March. According to the survey, the occupancy rate of business premises in the city centre has increased by 1.85 percentage points between 2023 and 2026. In 2023, the occupancy rate of business premises was 90.27 per cent.
“It’s fantastic to see that businesses, customers and tourists have found their way to Helsinki city centre in increasing numbers. The growth trend visible in service provision and consumer numbers across the board is a terrific positive sign of the attractiveness of the city centre and the vitality of the city,” says Daniel Sazonov, Mayor of Helsinki.
The number of services open on Saturdays was also higher in this year’s survey than both last year and in 2023.
“Services open on Saturdays is an important key figure, as it shows that there is a demand for the city centre’s services beyond necessary visits during the week. In other words, services open on Saturdays can be used to assess the city centre’s ability to attract people during their free time,” says Senior Advisor Timo Hämäläinen from the City of Helsinki.
Positive development also in the number of visitors to the city centre
Meanwhile, the number of visitors to Helsinki city centre has also developed in a positive direction. A mobile data survey based on domestic mobile subscriptions shows that the number of visitors across the entire city centre was 3.6 percentage points higher in January–April of this year than last year. However, the level is still below the 2019 level.
Nevertheless, the hustle and bustle of pedestrians walking on the main streets of the city centre has practically returned to the pre-pandemic level. For example, the Aleksanterinkatu measuring point recorded an increase of 4.9 per cent between January and April of this year compared to the same period last year.
The city centre has also been busy with events in early 2026. For example, the Lux Helsinki light art festival set a new attendance record this year, attracting 450,000 visitors over six days. The Red Bull Heavy Metal snowboarding event held at Senate Square in March attracted 30,000 people. The capping of the Manta statue on May Day was attended by around 100,000 people, and 70,000 people celebrated May Day in Kaivopuisto Park.
Services, meetings and leisure are becoming increasingly important – over 700 restaurants and cafés are open on Saturdays
The number of restaurants in particular has increased in the city centre. According to the vitality survey, there are a total of 711 restaurants and cafés open in the city centre on Saturdays, which is a record number. Helsinki city centre is also by far the most significant concentration of restaurants in Finland.
“The results of the vitality survey show that there has been a change in the service structure of the city centre and that it is still ongoing. The number of services, such as restaurants, cafés, bars and beauty and wellness services, is increasing. Correspondingly, the number of shops has decreased, which is a common trend in city centres,” says Senior Advisor Timo Hämäläinen.
“This development is closely linked to broad drivers of change in the 2020s, such as the growth of online shopping, the shift in consumption from goods to services and experiences, the digitalisation of services and the rise of remote work. Together, these changes are shifting the focus in the city centre from traditional trading of goods towards services, meetings and leisure,” Hämäläinen points out.
Record-breaking tourist numbers
The record growth in tourism is strengthening the vitality of the city centre by increasing customer flows and demand for various services. In 2025, Helsinki recorded over 4.9 million registered overnight stays, which is an 8.2 per cent increase from the previous year and an all-time high.
Growth has also continued this year. In the first quarter, Helsinki recorded 6.5 per cent more overnight stays than during the corresponding period last year. Overnight stays by foreign tourists increased by 7.9 per cent over the same period. This growth is noteworthy from the perspective of the city centre’s vitality, as international tourists spend their time enjoying the attractions and services of the city centre in particular.
The vitality of Helsinki city centre has been studied with city centre vitality surveys since 2016. The survey monitors the number, operation, occupancy rate and opening hours of street-level shops and shopping centre business premises in a designated city centre area. The vitality surveys are carried out by Voittajakaupungit – Winning Cities Oy Ltd, using a survey method that it was commissioned to develop by Elävät kaupunkikeskustat ry. Elävät kaupunkikeskustat ry is a nationwide network of city centre developers that was established in 1997. The annual vitality survey provides valuable information on the development of the city centre and is a useful part of a set of complementary indicators that are used to monitor the development of the city centre’s vitality.