Matka 2027 Pre Tour | Lapland North Destinations

Q: When will I know if I have been accepted for a tour?

Registration is open from 1 to 30 November 2026. After registration closes, NordicMarketing will review all applications together with the host destinations. We aim to accommodate as many preferences as possible, taking into account your selected tours, professional profile and the available places. All applicants will be informed of their tour allocation by 15 December 2026 at the latest. Please note that places are limited, and some tours may be more popular than others. Participation in your preferred tour cannot be guaranteed. The final selection is made by the host destination. If we cannot offer you a place on one of your preferred tours, we may contact you to discuss a suitable alternative.

Lapland North Destinations – Authentic Lapland

Pre-Tour · 16–19 January 2027 · 3 nights

Join Lapland North Destinations for a three-night Pre Tour in the far north of Finland. Experience the region’s dramatic winter scenery, meet the people and communities that shape local life, and explore a selection of tourism experiences suited to international visitors. The programme offers a closer look at what makes Lapland North a distinctive addition to a Finland travel itinerary.

Nature, Culture and Experiences

Lapland North combines Sámi culture, local traditions, Finland’s largest national parks and Lake Inarijärvi, known as the Sámi Sea. Experience the Northern Lights on over 200 nights a year in autumn and winter, or enjoy nearly 100 nights of the Midnight Sun in summer.
Discover year-round activities, from snowmobiling, skiing and snowshoeing in winter to hiking, biking, paddling and fishing in summer. Meet reindeer and huskies, stay in glass igloos, aurora lodgings, hotels or cosy cottages, and savour local flavours in restaurants ranging from fine dining to traditional Lappish huts. Welcome to Lapland North, where nature and culture create unforgettable Arctic experiences.

Getting to the Destination

Lapland North is easy to reach by air, train, bus or car. Choose the route that best fits your itinerary:

By air: Fly to Ivalo Airport, with year-round connections via Helsinki and seasonal direct flights from selected European cities. Saariselkä is just 25 minutes away by car, Ivalo 10 minutes and Inari around 50 minutes.
By train and bus: Travel by train to Rovaniemi, Kemijärvi or Kolari, then continue north by bus.
By bus: Long-distance buses connect Lapland North with cities across Finland, including Helsinki, Tampere and Oulu.
By car: Follow Highway E75 north through Rovaniemi, Saariselkä, Ivalo and Inari.

The final travel arrangements and transfers for the pre tour will be confirmed closer to the event.

LAPLAND_NORTH_WINTER_SAARISELKÄ_VILLAGE 2 (1)

Helsinki - Ivalo - Saariselkä

Day 1: Saturday, 16 January 2027

Arrival Day: Helsinki - Kuopio

16:10 - Flight AY605 from Helsinki to Ivalo
17:55 - Arrival at Ivalo airport
Your local host will warmly welcome you with a sign "Lapland North Destinations" at the arrival hall
18:30 - Transfer from Ivalo Airport to Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä
19:00 - Check-in to your hotel room in Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä
19:45-21:15 - Welcome dinner is served in Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä's restaurant Kaamos
Overnight stay at Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä. Before going to sleep, remember to check the sky! If the sky is clear - and you have a bit of luck - you might see Northern Lights dancing in the sky!

Saariselkä

Day 2: Sunday, 17 January 2027

07:00-08:30 - Breakfast is available in Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä’s restaurant Kaamos. You can go for breakfast at your own pace.
08:30-09:00 - Wilderness Hotels' company presentation at Restaurant Kaamos. Feel free to enjoy your breakfast also during the presentation.
09:00-13:30 - During the morning, we will have site inspections to the following hotels in Saariselkä area:
- Wilderness Hotel Muotka
- Saariselkä Kelo Lodge by Wilderness Hotels
- Wilderness Hotel Kieppi
- During the morning we will also have the opportunity to experience the magic of Lapland with the Arctic huskies! After getting warmly dressed in thermal outfits we’ll meet our dogs and set off through the peaceful wilderness on a shared sledge (one person as a driver, another sitting comfortably in the sledge, switching places halfway). The 10 km route takes about 1–1.5 hours of actual driving. After the ride, we’ll warm up in a cozy kota with a hot drink while learning more about the dogs and the farm.
13:30-14:30 - Lunch is served in Restaurant Kieppi Kitchen & Bar
14:30~17:00 - After lunch, we will continue with the following site inspections in Saariselkä:
- Holiday Club Saariselkä
- Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna
- Santa's Hotel Tunturi
- Gáldu Hotel & Spa
19:15~21:15 - Dinner. The dinner venue will be announced later.
Overnight stay at Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä. Before going to sleep, remember to check the sky! If the sky is clear - and you have a bit of luck - you might see Northern Lights dancing in the sky!

LaplandNorthDestinations-reindeer-safari-inari_5

Inari-Saariselkä

Day 3: Monday, 18 January 2027

07:00-08:45 - Breakfast is available in Wilderness Hotel Saariselkä’s restaurant Kaamos. You can go for breakfast at your own pace
08:45 - Check-out
09:00-10:00 - Transfer from Saariselkä to Inari
10:00-11:00 - We will have a guided tour of the Sámi Museum Siida. where we will gain insight into Sámi culture and the unique nature of northernmost Lapland - both essential to everyday life in the region. After the tour, we’ll have some time to browse the museum shop for local crafts and souvenirs. After the museum visit a short transfer to Holiday Village Inari
11:10-11:40 - Site inspection at Holiday Village Inari followed by a short transfer to Hotel Inari
11:45-12:15 - Site inspection at Hotel Inari
12:15-13:30 - Lunch will be served at Restaurant Aurora in Hotel Inari
13:30~15:30 - We will visit to a Reindeer Herder’s Camp. We'll experience the traditional Sámi way of travelling as you enjoy a peaceful reindeer sleigh ride through the snowy forest. Afterwards, the local reindeer herder will introduce us to the fascinating world of reindeer and traditional reindeer herding. We'll also have the opportunity to feed the reindeer before warming up by the fire with a hot drink. Please note: This activity will take place as part of a larger group. After the visit a short transfer to Wilderness Hotel Juutua
15:40-16:00 - Site inspection at Wilderness Hotel Juutua
16:00-17:30 - It's time for Finnish sauna experience! With around 3.2 million saunas across the country, sauna culture is deeply rooted in Finnish life—both past and present. No visit to Finland is complete without experiencing this cherished tradition. Now it's time for us to have a moment to relax and enjoy the soothing atmosphere of the sauna. Wilderness Hotel Juutua’s sauna and meeting venue, Koski, sits beautifully by the River Juutua and offers a perfect setting for relaxation. You can enjoy soothing baths in sauna, while the jacuzzi on the terrace provides a stunning view of the river
17:30-18:30 - Transfer from Inari back to Saariselkä
18:30 Check-in at Wildernes Hotel Kieppi
19:45~21:45 - Dinner is served in Restaurant Kieppi Kitchen & Bar
Overnight stay at Wilderness Hotel Kieppi

Saariselkä - Helsinki

Day 4: Tuesday, 19 January 2027

Departure Day: Saariselkä - Helsinki

07:00-10:00 - Breakfast is available in Wilderness Hotel Kieppi’s restaurant Kieppi Kitchen & Bar. You can go for breakfast at your own pace.
After breakfast you have time to explore the Saariselkä centre independently.
10:45 - Check-out
11:00 - Transfer to the airport. Transfer time approx. 30 minutes.
13:15 - Flight AY604 to Helsinki departs. Arrival at Helsinki 14:50.

Day 3: 18 January 2027

Oulu - Nallikari - Ii

Breakfast at the hotel & check-out
Transfer to Nallikari
Site inspection at Nallikari By the Sea
Winter activity on the frozen sea with Nallikari Safaris
Visiting the reindeer farm Kellon Kuusi
Lunch in a traditional Finnish kota
Transfer to and check-in at Merihelmi Aurora Sea Resort
Guided Ice Fishing on the frozen sea
Kantele Apprentice - learn to play Finland's national instrument
Dinner at Merihelmi Aurora Sea Resort
Possibility for Seaside sauna and outdoor hot tub
Overnight stay at Merihelmi Aurora Sea Resort

Day 2: 17 January 2027

Oulu

Day 4: 19 January 2027

Departure Day: Ii - Oulu - Helsinki

Breakfast at Merihelmi Aurora Sea Resort
Activity
Light lunch in a traditional Finnish kota hut by the sea
Transfer to the airport
Flight to Helsinki

FAQ for Tour Operators

A Pre or Post Tour is a hosted familiarisation trip organised before or after Matka Travel Fair and Matka Workshop Day.

It gives international tour operators the opportunity to experience a Finnish destination first-hand — beyond brochures, presentations and short meetings. Participants can meet local tourism suppliers in person, test selected products and activities, inspect accommodation options and gain a deeper understanding of how the destination can fit into their own travel programmes.

For tour operators, this is a valuable way to discover new product ideas, build trusted local contacts and assess the destination’s potential for future sales. A Pre Tour takes place before the main event, while a Post Tour takes place after the event.

The Pre and Post Tours are designed for international tour operators, travel agencies, product managers and buyers who are interested in developing new tourism products in Finland.

Participation is only intended for professionals who are already taking part in Matka Travel Fair and/or Matka Workshop Day 2027.

As places are limited and some tours are particularly popular, participation is generally limited to one person per company per tour.

We kindly ask for your understanding, as we want to give as many different tour operators as possible the opportunity to experience our Finnish destinations.

Exceptions may be possible: If places remain available and the host destination agrees, we may allow a maximum of two participants from the same company to join the same Pre or Post Tour. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Please note: Two or more representatives from the same company are welcome to apply for different tours. The one-person limit applies to each individual tour, not to the company’s overall participation in the Pre and Post Tour programme.

Buyers can indicate their preferred tours during the registration process. NordicMarketing will review all registrations together with the tour organisers and, where relevant, with the partners involved in the overall programme.

The final allocation depends on the buyer’s profile, business focus, market relevance, available places and the suitability of the tour programme.

Please note that participation cannot be guaranteed. The final decision is made by the destination or tour organiser, and places are limited. If demand is high, not all interested buyers may be able to join a tour.

Registration is open from 1 to 30 November 2026. After registration closes, NordicMarketing will review all applications together with the host destinations.

We aim to accommodate as many preferences as possible, taking into account your selected tours, professional profile and the available places.

All applicants will be informed of their tour allocation by 15 December 2026 at the latest.

Please note that places are limited, and some tours may be more popular than others. Participation in your preferred tour cannot be guaranteed. The final selection is made by the host destination. If we cannot offer you a place on one of your preferred tours, we may contact you to discuss a suitable alternative.

Your initial registration is not yet a binding booking. During the registration process, you can select up to three preferred tours. NordicMarketing will review all registrations together with the destinations and will try to match buyers with their preferred tours whenever possible.

However, participation in a specific tour cannot be guaranteed. If your preferred tours are fully booked or not the best match for your profile, we may suggest an alternative tour and will discuss this with you directly.

Once you have confirmed your participation in a specific tour and the destination has booked and paid for services such as flights or other travel arrangements on your behalf, your participation becomes binding.

If you cancel after this point, the destination reserves the right to charge any costs that have already been incurred.

The main language of the Pre and Post Tours is English. Presentations, communication and guiding during the tours will generally be provided in English, unless otherwise stated in the specific tour programme.

The group size is usually 4–8 participants per tour. This ensures a personal atmosphere, high-quality networking and enough time for meaningful discussions with the local hosts and tourism companies.

The tours are generally organised on a hosted basis. This means that the host organisation usually covers the buyer’s costs on the route Helsinki–destination–Helsinki, including the services included in the confirmed tour programme.

Buyers are responsible for their own travel to the starting point, unless otherwise agreed or confirmed separately.

Yes. Buyers can provide information about dietary requirements, allergies and other relevant food preferences during the registration process.

The tour organisers will do their best to take these into account. However, availability may depend on the destination, local suppliers and the specific programme.

Please bring comfortable clothing suitable for the season and the activities included in the programme. For winter tours, warm outdoor clothing, proper shoes, gloves, a hat and layered clothing are strongly recommended.

More detailed packing information will be provided before the tour, depending on the destination and programme.

If special equipment is needed for specific activities, this will usually be mentioned in the tour programme.

In some cases, local suppliers may provide activity-specific equipment such as overalls, helmets, snowshoes or other gear. Details will be confirmed before the tour.

In most cases, participants will stay in single rooms. If shared accommodation or another special accommodation arrangement is part of a specific tour, this will be clearly mentioned in the tour description in advance. This may apply, for example, to special wilderness experiences such as an overnight stay in a wilderness cabin.

Some tours may include outdoor activities, walking, snow activities or other experiences that require a normal level of physical fitness. However, nobody is required to take part in an activity if they do not feel comfortable or fit enough. There will usually be a Plan B or an alternative option.

Please let us know during registration if you have any health-related limitations or concerns, so that we can take this into account when assessing the suitability of the tour.

Yes, we strongly recommend that all participants have valid travel health insurance and travel insurance covering the full duration of their trip. Participants are responsible for their own insurance coverage, including medical care, accidents, travel disruptions and personal belongings.

Please let us know during registration if you have any health-related limitations or concerns, so that we can take this into account when assessing the suitability of the tour.

Lapland North Destinations