Turkish Airlines will bring Asian tourists to Finland’s Arctic with a new Rovaniemi-Istanbul route

The new thrice-weekly route is set to begin next November.

By Thomas Nilsen, The Independent Barents Observer October 30, 2018
2128
Rovaniemi sees an increasing numbers of Asian tourists. (Thomas Nilsen / The Independent Barents Observer)

 

National carrier Turkish Airlines has announced that Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland will become the northernmost among the airline’s 300 destinations in 60 nations to see direct flights from Istanbul next year.

Istanbul’s new giant airport opened this week and aims at becoming a global key hub for passengers traveling between Europe, Asia and Africa.

Flights are scheduled from Istanbul to Rovaniemi three times a week. First flights start in late November next year, YLE reports. The airline says it will provide further details about the route later.

Last year had a record-breaking growth in the number of passengers at Lapland’s airports with 1.3 million which is a growth from 2016 by 23 percent. For Rovaniemi airport, the growth was 19 percent Finavia reports.

Rovaniemi’s airport is undergoing a massive expansion, with passenger space increasing from 6,000 square meters to about 10,500 square meters. The expansion is scheduled to be completed before Christmas season next year.