Excessive tourist visitation has become an issue in Santa's hometown, according to Finnish residents.
They frolic in the snow, embark on a reindeer sleigh ride, sip cocktails in an ice bar, or even have a chance encounter with Santa Claus himself in the capital of Finnish Lapland, Rovaniemi, which proudly proclaims itself as "Santa Claus's official hometown."
The Santa Claus Village amusement park, which draws over 600,000 people each year, is particularly popular during the festive season.
"This is like a dream come true for me," smiled Elzbieta Nazaruk, a Polish visitor. "I'm really excited to be here."
Tourism is thriving in Rovaniemi. Hotel and restaurant owners, as well as city officials, are all delighted as they reap the financial benefits. However, not everyone is happy about the surge in visitors, with around 10 times the town's population flocking to Rovaniemi at Christmas each year.
"We're concerned about the rapid growth of tourism. It's no longer under control," said 43-year-old Antti Pakkanen, a photographer and a member of a housing network that organized a protest in September.
Similar concerns have been raised in other popular European tourist spots, such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, Malaga, and Florence.
Across the continent, locals have been protesting against "overtourism," a term that describes the point when visitors and their money stop benefiting residents and instead cause harm by damaging historic sites, overloading infrastructure, and making life more difficult for locals.
Rovaniemi welcomed 1.2 million overnight visitors in 2023, a nearly 30% increase from 2022, following the rebound from pandemic travel disruptions.
Visit Rovaniemi CEO Sanna Karkkainen explained, "The Nordic is a trend. People want to travel to cool countries to see the snow, the Northern Lights, and, of course, Santa Claus."
Thirteen new flight routes to Rovaniemi Airport were introduced this year, with passengers arriving from Geneva, Berlin, Bordeaux, and more. While most tourists hail from European countries like France, Germany, and the UK, Rovaniemi's appeal has steadily spread.
Hotel rooms are hard to come by this winter, and Tiina Määttä, the general manager of the 159-room Original Sokos Hotel, expects 2024 to set new records.
Critics of mass tourism point out that many apartment buildings in Rovaniemi's city center are now used for accommodation services during peak seasons, leaving them unavailable for residential use. They argue that the proliferation of short-term rentals has driven up prices, displaced long-term residents, and transformed the city center into a "tourist stopover."
Despite Finnish law prohibiting professional accommodation services in residential buildings, campaigners are pushing for stricter enforcement.
"The rules need to be enforced better," said Pakkanen.
However, not everyone shares this view. Mayor Ulla-Kirsikka Vainio points out that some people make "good money" from short-term rentals.
Regardless, stricter regulations are unlikely to be implemented before this winter season, and despite the reservations of locals, mass tourism in Rovaniemi is likely to continue growing in 2025, as visitors seek the unique winter experience up north, particularly during the holiday season.
"We want to see the Northern Lights," said Joy, a visitor from Bangkok. "Rovaniemi seems like a great place."
The increase in tourists visiting Rovaniemi has also attracted attention in places like Florence, as local residents express concerns about "overtourism." The news of Rovaniemi's popularity as a travel destination has led to the introduction of thirteen new flight routes to Rovaniemi Airport.
During the festive season, the Santa Claus Village amusement park becomes even more popular, attracting travellers interested in experiencing the snow, Northern Lights, and Santa Claus.
