Bedbug in hotels ahead of peak season worries Lapland tourism

Bedbug problem has grown gradually in Lapland region in Finland during the recent period raising concern among the tourism authorities and business operators ahead of the winter tourism season.

Although the incident of bedbug was rare in Lapland until the last decade, several incidents were detected recently, particularly in the residential hotels in the region, which prompted the Rovaniemi tourism development authority to keep close watch on the situation.

“It is unfortunate to hear about such cases in Lapland, too. We will keep on monitoring the situation and trust on the expertise of our hoteliers as professional service providers and authorities to handle the situation with best possible knowhow,” Sanna Kärkkäinen, the Managing Director of Visit Rovaniemi, which is tasked with developing the city’s tourism business told Daily Finland.

National broadcaster Yle, quoting a pest control business operator in a recent report said that at least three cases of bedbug are detected in the region every month.

Bedbugs were detected in eight rooms of a residential hotel in Lapland and it took several months for the authority to manage the situation, the report added.

The peak season of tourism in Lapland, particularly in Rovaniemi, the home town of Santa Claus starts before the Christmas and continues during the whole winter.

The region is expecting huge international tourists in the upcoming winter season but further spread of bedbugs might put a negative impact on the situation, tourism operators observed.

The airports in Lapland will operate a total of 18 new routes to destinations around Europe in the 2023-24 winter season, said country´s airports operator Finavia in a recent press release.

In total, 35 direct international routes will be flown to Lapland next winter, said Finavia, adding that airlines are offering an additional 240,000 passenger seats on flights to and from Lapland and the number is 16 percent higher compared to the number of previouswinter.

Of the increase in seats, about 150,000 are on flights to and from Rovaniemi Airport.