Eiramo prepares luxury hotel in Utsjoki for inaugural winter season despite sluggish bookings

A luxury hotel in Utsjoki, which has reported losses during its first two summer seasons, is gearing up for its inaugural winter season. Hotel operator Juhani Eiramo is not overly concerned, believing that losses are common in the initial years of tourism businesses. Despite the winter season being on sale since January, Eiramo admits that the winter bookings are already a lost cause as demand has been sluggish without program services to attract visitors. Nonetheless, he states that the hotel will operate as planned this winter.

Eiramo, a pioneer of international tourism in Lapland, has been in the tourism business in Kakslauttanen for 45 years and is a controversial figure in the industry, having faced legal issues regarding environmental damage in 2020. The luxury hotel has a capacity of 150 rooms and is among the largest accommodations in Utsjoki. A significant investment of €13 million has been made by Eiramo for the hotel, which includes constructing glass igloos and log cabins.

The local municipality is also striving to enhance tourism activities and routes to meet international standards, aiming to generate around €1 million annually from tourism by 2035. Eiramo highlights the need for activities that interest tourists year-round, emphasizing winter sports like reindeer sledding and summer fishing.

Overall, accessibility challenges hinder Utsjoki’s tourism growth, with limited bus connections and insufficient international flight options posing significant barriers. Both Eiramo and municipal leaders express the importance of improving these opportunities to attract more international tourists.