The island of Hailuoto has been chosen as the top Finnish tourist destination of the year. The choice was made by the Mondo Travel Magazine last January during the Matka 2012 Travel Fair held in Helsinki. Hailuoto is also among the ten final candidates for top trekking destination of the year.
Hailuoto holds a multitude of different events, attracting thousands of travelers and holiday residents every year. There are nearly 700 holiday homes on the island, and high-quality year-round accommodations are being built in a number of different locations.
"The promotion of year-round tourism requires daring brand-development, determination, collaboration, and plenty of publicity," says Ari Nurkkala, the head of the municipality of Hailuoto.
Situated in the Gulf of Bothnia, the island of Hailuoto is home to approximately 1000 year-round residents. The drive to Hailuoto from the city of Oulu is about 50 kilometers, and to reach the island, one must travel 6.8 kilometers by ferry from Oulunsalo. The main road traversing Hailuoto is 30 kilometers long. Marjaniemi, at the far end of the island, is a home to a fishing village, where new holiday homes are also being built.