Discover Coastal Arcticity: Jakobstad-Pietarsaari, Kalajoki and Liminka
Pre Tour · 15–19 January 2027 · 4 nights
Welcome to the Arctic Coast of Finland, where the northernmost waters of the Baltic Sea meet distinctive coastal landscapes, maritime heritage and authentic local life. Experience the beauty of the frozen coast, explore the region's year-round travel opportunities and meet local suppliers ready to welcome international travellers.
What Makes the Arctic Coast Unique?
Located along the Gulf of Bothnia the Arctic Coast offers a refreshing alternative to traditional Finnish winter destinations. Here, the changing seasons transform the coastal landscape, creating opportunities for outdoor adventures, nature experiences and encounters with local culture.
Our hand-picked destinations – Jakobstad-Pietarsaari, Kalajoki and Liminka – showcase the diversity of the Arctic Coast. Each has its own character, yet all share a strong connection to the sea, nature and local traditions.
Jakobstad-Pietarsaari blends coastal beauty with rich maritime heritage and lively cultural life. The charming wooden town quarters, engaging events, and serene sea views create a destination where history and modern coastal living meet.
Kalajoki is known for its sweeping sand dunes, long sandy beaches, and glowing sunsets. Beyond summer, the destination transforms into a striking winter landscape, where the frozen seafront, snow-covered dunes, and icy horizons create an exotic setting for coastal adventures and peaceful Nordic moments.
Liminka invites you to explore the serene beauty of Finland’s coastal flatlands. Famous for its expansive wetlands and vibrant birdlife, the area offers a perfect balance of outdoor adventure and tranquil reflection. With its charming villages and artisan traditions, Liminka is a place where nature and heritage come together.
For international tour operators, this Pre-Tour is an opportunity to experience the destinations first-hand, meet local tourism providers and discover new possibilities for FIT itineraries, small-group tours and year-round travel programmes.
Getting to the Arctic Coast
The Arctic Coast is accessible by air, train and road. The nearest airports serving the Pre-Tour destinations are Oulu (OUL) and Kokkola-Pietarsaari (KOK), with flight connections via Helsinki. Rail connections and road transfers offer additional travel options.
Final travel arrangements and transfers for the Pre-Tour will be confirmed closer to the event.
Welcome to discover Coastal Arcticity – a different side of Finland, shaped by the sea!
Tour Details
Organiser: Visit Arctic Coast
Tour type: Pre-Tour
Dates: 15 –19 January 2027
Duration: 4 nights (1 night in Helsinki)
Group size: 4–8 participants
Target market: International tour operators and travel buyers
Note: Costs for Day 1 (dinner and overnight stay in Helsinki) are covered by the organiser
© Visit Kalajoki
Pre Tour Programme
Please note that the programme is preliminary and may be subject to change shortly before departure.
Day 1: Friday, 15 January 2027 |
Day 2: Saturday, 16 January 2027
Arrival Day
- Arrival at Helsinki airport from different destinations
- Welcoming group at Helsinki Airport
- Overnight in Helsinki and dinner - tbc
Train ride to Jakobstad-Pietarsaari
- Breakfast and check-out
- 8:20 - Train from Helsinki to Pietarsaari-Pedersöre
- 12:08 - Arrival at the train station and welcoming of the group
- 12:14 - Transfer to Jakobstad-Pietarsaari
- 12:30 - Site-inspection and lunch at Hotel Epoque, situated in the renovated Customs House ”Tullpackhuset” of distinguished heritage
- 14:00 - Sightseeing in Jakobstad
- 15:30 - The Arctic Museum Nanoq with Nanoq escape room experience
- 18:00 - Overnight stay at Strandis Smokehouse Village with overnight in Strandis Villas, dinner and sauna with avanto
© Nanoq
Day 3: Sunday, 17 January 2027
- Breakfast at Strandis Smokehouse Village and check-out
- 9:00 - Transfer to Kalajoki
- 10:30 - Guided walk in Plassi, the Old Town of Kalajoki, with coffee and snack at Onnen Aika Vintage
- 11:45 - Design from Kalajoki - visit at Iso-Pahkala Ceramics, a family-owned company handcrafting functional everyday pottery and unique, artistic pieces
- 12:30 - Site-inspection and lunch at Tapion Tupa, a charming venue with a traditional Finnish farmhouse atmosphere, offering dining, meeting facilities and accommodation
- 14:00 - Story Walk / Wool Sock Walk around the snowy dune landscape
- 16:00 - Check-in and overnight at Kalajoki Golf Resort, tour of the house
- 19:00 - Beer tasting dinner at the authentic Irish bar Sandy Kelt in the heart of Hiekkasärkät holiday resort
© Visit Kalajoki
Day 4: Monday, 18 January 2027
- Breakfast and check-out
- 09:00 - Safaritalo activities: snowmobiling, hovercraft or similar, depending on conditions; coffee and snack
- Site-inspection and Santa's Resort and Spa Hotel Sani, and lunch at the hotel restaurant Välke
- 12:00 - Transfer to Linnakallio
- 13:00 - Wood-heated sauna & cold dip at Linnakallio, coffee and snack at Kota
- 15:30 - Transfer to Liminka
- 17:00 - Check-in at Park Hotel Liminka, a modern Scandinavian hote located in the heart of Liminka
- 19:00 - Dinner at Pitojen Helmi
- Transfer back to the hotel
© Visit Kalajoki
Day 5: Tuesday, 19 January 2027
Departure Day
- Breakfast at Park Hotel and check-out
- 9:30 - Liminka Bay Resort, guided tour of the house (incl. The Eight Seasons of Birds exhibition)
- 10:30 - Relaxing yoga at Liminka Bay Resort
- Transfer to Vihiluoto
- 12:00 - Lunch at the fish restaurant Vihiluodon Kala
- 13:00 - Transfer to Oulu Airport
- 14:20 - Flight Oulu - Helsinki (AY438)
© Visit Kalajoki
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
© Visit Oulu
Day 2: 17 January 2027
Oulu
- xx
- xx
© Visit 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
© Visit Oulu
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.
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