Tourism in Åland
Encyclopedia
Tourism in Åland
is promoted by Visit Åland, the official tourism organisation of the Åland Islands.
Åland's major tourist attraction is the mild nature of its seasons compared to other parts of Scandinavia
. The Åland Islands
experience more sunshine hours per year than any other place in the region - in midsummer
, the sun rises at approximately 3:30am and sets at about 10:00pm. In addition, Åland's summers are comparatively warm and its winters comparatively mild, making it a popular holiday destination among neighbouring Swede
s and Finn
s.
Åland's capital, Mariehamn
, has a long maritime history
chronology. Primarily a shipping town, Mariehamn is home to a museum ship
still in its original condition as a cargo carrier. The Åland Islands are a collection of islands in an archipelago
, and the eight inhabited islands in the archipelago are home to a number of small villages, many with architectural monuments to the Åland Islands' past clearly evident in the form of ruined abbeys and castles. Kastelholm Castle
, dating back to the 16th century, is a popular attraction bordered by two golf courses.
Åland also draws a number of tourists looking to participate in outdoor activities, with diving, climbing, paddling, hiking, camping and horse riding popular with visitors. Hunting is also possible in Åland, and is actively encouraged by Visit Åland.
, 43.9 per cent of the arrivals were from Sweden
and the remainder, 11.9 per cent, were from other countries. The average stay for tourists in Åland was 2.1 nights, with the figure slightly lower for tourists from Finland (1.9 nights), the same for tourists from Sweden and higher for tourists from other countries (3.2 nights). 108,241 of the total number of tourists arriving in Åland in 2009 stayed in hotels, 26,072 stayed in guest houses, 39,620 stayed in cottages while the remainder, 39,620 visitors, camped as their form of accommodation. One notable statistic is the increase in the number of guests from countries other than Finland and Sweden staying in hotels - this increased by 77.8 per cent from 2008.
Åland Islands
The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. They are situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and form an autonomous, demilitarised, monolingually Swedish-speaking region of Finland...
is promoted by Visit Åland, the official tourism organisation of the Åland Islands.
Attractions
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
. The Åland Islands
Åland Islands
The Åland Islands form an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. They are situated at the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia and form an autonomous, demilitarised, monolingually Swedish-speaking region of Finland...
experience more sunshine hours per year than any other place in the region - in midsummer
Midsummer
Midsummer may simply refer to the period of time centered upon the summer solstice, but more often refers to specific European celebrations that accompany the actual solstice, or that take place on a day between June 21 and June 24, and the preceding evening. The exact dates vary between different...
, the sun rises at approximately 3:30am and sets at about 10:00pm. In addition, Åland's summers are comparatively warm and its winters comparatively mild, making it a popular holiday destination among neighbouring Swede
Swede
Swede may refer to:* A resident or citizen of Sweden* A member of the Swedish ethnic group* Swedes , an ancient North Germanic tribe inhabiting parts of modern day Sweden...
s and Finn
Finn
Finn is commonly used to refer to a member of the Finn ethnic group or a citizen of Finland.a name* Finn , a Frisian King, who appears in Beowulf and The Fight at Finnsburg...
s.
Åland's capital, Mariehamn
Mariehamn
Mariehamn is the capital of Åland, an autonomous territory under Finnish sovereignty. Mariehamn is the seat of the Government and Parliament of Åland, and 40% of the population of Åland live in the city...
, has a long maritime history
Maritime history
Maritime history is the study of human activity at sea. It covers a broad thematic element of history that often uses a global approach, although national and regional histories remain predominant...
chronology. Primarily a shipping town, Mariehamn is home to a museum ship
Pommern (ship)
The Pommern, formerly the Mneme , is a windjammer. She is a four-masted barque that was built in 1903 in Glasgow at the J. Reid & Co shipyard....
still in its original condition as a cargo carrier. The Åland Islands are a collection of islands in an archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
, and the eight inhabited islands in the archipelago are home to a number of small villages, many with architectural monuments to the Åland Islands' past clearly evident in the form of ruined abbeys and castles. Kastelholm Castle
Kastelholm Castle
Kastelholm Castle is a Swedish-built medieval castle located off Road 2 in Sund, Åland, Finland, approximately northeast of Mariehamn, overlooking a fjord to the south of the village of Kastelholm...
, dating back to the 16th century, is a popular attraction bordered by two golf courses.
Åland also draws a number of tourists looking to participate in outdoor activities, with diving, climbing, paddling, hiking, camping and horse riding popular with visitors. Hunting is also possible in Åland, and is actively encouraged by Visit Åland.
Statistics
207,566 tourists arrived in Åland in 2009. This was a 9.9 per cent decrease from the number of tourists arriving in 2008. 44.3 per cent of the arriving tourists were from FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, 43.9 per cent of the arrivals were from Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and the remainder, 11.9 per cent, were from other countries. The average stay for tourists in Åland was 2.1 nights, with the figure slightly lower for tourists from Finland (1.9 nights), the same for tourists from Sweden and higher for tourists from other countries (3.2 nights). 108,241 of the total number of tourists arriving in Åland in 2009 stayed in hotels, 26,072 stayed in guest houses, 39,620 stayed in cottages while the remainder, 39,620 visitors, camped as their form of accommodation. One notable statistic is the increase in the number of guests from countries other than Finland and Sweden staying in hotels - this increased by 77.8 per cent from 2008.