Levi's seven-month snow guarantee boosts winter season growth
Levi's seven-month winter and the snow guarantee provided by recycled snow attracted new visitors to the area, especially at the start of the winter season from October to December.
At the start of the season, in October 2023, the number of international overnight stays increased by 49% compared to the same period the previous year. Growth continued more moderately in November (23%) and even into the first weeks of December.
In October and November, 34 Alpine Ski World Cup teams and 11 European Cup teams trained in the area, demonstrating the excellent training opportunities available early in the season. Additionally, Levi offered a unique training location for the world's best mogul skiers, as it was the only place in the world with mogul skiing facilities in October.
"Our strategic goal is to be a world leader in snow expertise. Currently, we can guarantee a seven-month skiing season in top conditions. Years of innovation and expertise in ensuring the alpine World Cup competition conditions have been successfully transferred to other slope areas as part of maintaining winter season conditions. Our snow expertise has elevated Levi to one of the most attractive ski resort operators in the world. This is evidenced by the tremendous appeal of utilizing our conditions for various skiing disciplines from the first week of October onwards, and most recently, the honor of hosting the opening races of the Slalom World Cup for both women and men. Our collaboration with the world's best athletes and experts has raised our standards to serve high-level skiing customers throughout the long winter season from October to May," says Marko Mustonen, Commercial Director of Levi Ski Resort.
"It's great to see how investing in the Alpine Ski World Cup and improving conditions supports the overall development of tourism in the area. Our goal is to seek growth from year-round tourism, and extending the winter season is the first important step in this development. At the same time, we are investing in increasing customer flows during the snow-free period to ensure balanced and sustainable development of the area," says Satu Pesonen, CEO of Visit Levi.
Snow guarantee, a long skiing season, and investments in lifts and slopes have strengthened Levi's position as an international ski resort. This is reflected in the record-breaking sales and customer numbers achieved during the winter season.
"During the winter season, the number of skiing customers on the slopes reached a record 570,000. Additionally, the single-day customer record was broken in week 8, when on Sunday, February 25th, there were an astonishing 10,000 skiers on the slopes. The revenue from ski pass sales increased by 7.2% compared to the previous fiscal year," says Marko Mustonen.
The UK remains the top market, tourism habits changing
The UK continues to be Levi's largest international customer base, with the French following in second place and the Dutch close behind. The number of overnight stays by Dutch, Belgian, and Irish visitors increased the most during the 2023-2024 winter season.
The increase in scheduled flights to Kittilä is changing the tourist profile: more and more visitors are making bookings independently through online stores instead of purchasing ready-made, all-inclusive travel packages. Scheduled flight passengers rent more cars, dine according to their own schedules and preferences, and purchase a variety of experiences either in advance from online stores or on-site from Levi's tourist information.
"Unfortunately, the share of domestic travelers has been slightly declining. This likely reflects the economic situation in our country. Domestic customers still hold significant importance for our area, and it has been a pleasure to see that Finns have made more reservations for the upcoming summer compared to this time last year. Interest from Central Europeans in the Lapland summer is also beginning to show cautiously," says Satu Pesonen.
Passenger numbers at Kittilä Airport increase in winter season 2023-2024
The total number of passengers at Kittilä Airport, serving Fell Lapland area, increased by 13%, rising to 353,000 passengers, compared to 312,000 the previous season in 2022-2023. The number of operations at the airport increased by 14.4%.
Levi's winter season 2024-2025 opens in October & 20th Anniversary of the World Cup
The skiing season on Levi's trails and slopes will begin again on October 4th, and in November, the 20th anniversary of the Levi World Cup will be celebrated. The fantastic spring skiing conditions will continue until early May.
