Varkaus directs caravanners to public sand parking lots due to lack of campsite

Varkaus is the only city in the Saimaa region without a campsite, forcing caravanners to use two public sand parking lots with no services, Yle reports.

The city’s last campsite, Kuntoranta Camping, closed in 2022 following the bankruptcy of a spa hotel. Since then, travellers have increasingly used an unofficial spot near a rug-washing area in Hertunranta Park, popularised through the Park4Night app.

According to the Finnish Camping Association, the absence of a campsite is unusual, as most Finnish cities have one. Chairman Kimmo Laatta estimates Varkaus loses up to €1.5 million in tourism revenue annually without a proper site. Based on the city’s location by Lake Saimaa and major highways, he calculates 10,000–15,000 overnight stays could be accommodated yearly, with each camper spending an average of €110 per day locally.

Markus Vesterinen, Varkaus’s director of vitality, acknowledges the financial impact but cautions that some spending may still reach the area via nearby municipalities. The city is currently seeking both a location and an operator for a new campsite, aiming to resolve the issue by next summer.

The former Kuntoranta campsite was auctioned off this winter, but the new owner’s plans for the area remain undisclosed.