Northern Europe’s largest travel trade show—Matka Travel Fair—threw open its doors to consumers at Helsinki’s Messukeskus today, following two days of B2B workshops and professional forums. Organisers expect more than 60,000 visitors and 850 exhibitors from 90 countries between 16 and 18 January, with a strong focus on ‘nature-positive’ tourism and low-carbon mobility solutions. (matka.messukeskus.com)
A headline session this afternoon features Haltia Lake Lodge’s CEO Teemu Tuomarla explaining how biodiversity restoration can become a competitive advantage for Finnish destinations. The lodge, situated next to Nuuksio National Park, has earned Visit Finland Sustainability Ambassador status and is pitching conservation-linked corporate retreats to international buyers. (messukeskus.com)
For mobility managers, the fair offers a first glimpse of 2026 product pipelines: Finnair’s revamped Lapland winter schedule, VR’s new overnight ‘Blue Sleeper’ trains to Rovaniemi, and car-rental firm Autonio’s pilot fleet of hydrogen SUVs. Exhibitors from South Korea and Canada are touting visa-waiver extensions and digital-nomad permits aimed at Finnish professionals, while Eurail has launched a corporate bulk-purchase tool that integrates with HR travel dashboards.
![Matka Travel Fair opens to public, puts sustainable mobility centre stage]()
Visitors intrigued by these emerging travel corridors—and conscious of the extra paperwork that sometimes lurks behind visa-waiver headlines—can streamline their planning through VisaHQ. The company’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers live visa requirements, application checklists and courier options for more than 200 destinations, making it an easy add-on for Matka delegates arranging multi-country itineraries or corporate mobility programmes.
The show’s professional day saw lively debate on how the EU’s Digital Schengen Gateways, due in 2027, will reshape API data flows for tour operators. Legal experts urged Finnish SMEs to start mapping customer-data processes now, warning that hefty fines await those who cannot deliver real-time passenger manifests to border agencies.
Matka’s public halls remain open until 19:00 tonight. Organisers recommend pre-booking tickets online to avoid queues and note that the venue operates a cash-free cloakroom system. Business visitors can still arrange 15-minute buyer-seller meetings via the event’s Matchmaking app, which remains live through the weekend.
A headline session this afternoon features Haltia Lake Lodge’s CEO Teemu Tuomarla explaining how biodiversity restoration can become a competitive advantage for Finnish destinations. The lodge, situated next to Nuuksio National Park, has earned Visit Finland Sustainability Ambassador status and is pitching conservation-linked corporate retreats to international buyers. (messukeskus.com)
For mobility managers, the fair offers a first glimpse of 2026 product pipelines: Finnair’s revamped Lapland winter schedule, VR’s new overnight ‘Blue Sleeper’ trains to Rovaniemi, and car-rental firm Autonio’s pilot fleet of hydrogen SUVs. Exhibitors from South Korea and Canada are touting visa-waiver extensions and digital-nomad permits aimed at Finnish professionals, while Eurail has launched a corporate bulk-purchase tool that integrates with HR travel dashboards.
Visitors intrigued by these emerging travel corridors—and conscious of the extra paperwork that sometimes lurks behind visa-waiver headlines—can streamline their planning through VisaHQ. The company’s Finland portal (https://www.visahq.com/finland/) offers live visa requirements, application checklists and courier options for more than 200 destinations, making it an easy add-on for Matka delegates arranging multi-country itineraries or corporate mobility programmes.
The show’s professional day saw lively debate on how the EU’s Digital Schengen Gateways, due in 2027, will reshape API data flows for tour operators. Legal experts urged Finnish SMEs to start mapping customer-data processes now, warning that hefty fines await those who cannot deliver real-time passenger manifests to border agencies.
Matka’s public halls remain open until 19:00 tonight. Organisers recommend pre-booking tickets online to avoid queues and note that the venue operates a cash-free cloakroom system. Business visitors can still arrange 15-minute buyer-seller meetings via the event’s Matchmaking app, which remains live through the weekend.
