Finland’s Lake Saimaa Announces Saimaa Horizon 2030 – Invest & Grow Project
Finland’s Lake Saimaa – Mikkeli Region has announced the Saimaa Horizon 2030 – Invest & Grow project, targeting a step-change in international visibility. Recognised for its natural beauty, the region has already recorded a 35% increase in international overnight stays in early 2026.
A 23-company regional coalition is now formally engaged through the Saimaa Horizon 2030 – Invest & Grow project.
Co-funded by the European Union and the Regional Council of South Savo, the initiative is expanding the region’s international marketing focus to the United Kingdom, France, Spain and the United States.
These markets join existing activity in German-speaking Europe, the Benelux and Asia.
The project builds on regional growth of 23% in international overnight stays between 2023 and 2025 and aligns with Visit Finland’s Eastern Finland Sustainable Tourism Growth Programme.
“Lake Saimaa has long been treasured by Finns as a place of natural beauty and quiet renewal, but its scale and richness remain largely undiscovered by international travellers,” said Heli Mende, Head of International Sales at Saimaa Horizon 2030 Invest & Grow.
“The region’s labyrinth of Ice Age-formed waterways, lake-, forest and farm-to-table cuisine, and conservation work protecting the Saimaa Ringed Seal are all stories the world hasn’t yet heard. The Saimaa Horizon 2030 project is committed to changing that.”