Road to Lapland

Lapland is the largest province in Finland, with a relatively small population considering the area. Lapland covers 30 % of Finland’s area, but only 3 % of the country’s population lives in Lapland. Population density in Lapland is about 2 people/km2, while in the whole of Finland the density is 17,64 people/km2. Population density varies greatly in different parts of Finland. In the region of Uusimaa, in which the capital Helsinki is located, density is the highest in Finland with 170 people/km2, while lowest population density can be found in Lapland.

The employment rate in Lapland is 65 %. The biggest employer is the private sector (49%), municipalities follow with 30 % and entrepreneurs are third with 12 % portion.

Lapland's biggest sector of employment is the health care and social service sector, as one of the main employers is the Lapland Central Hospital, located in Rovaniemi. This is followed by the processing sector, business services as well as trade. Exports from Lapland make up 3.8 billion euros, which is 7 % of Finland's total exports.

Tuesday 23rd of May
Place Multidimensional Tourism Institute, Viirinkankaantie 1, Rovaniemi
08:40 Pick-up from hotel and transfer to meeting place
09:00 Welcoming words and coffee
Antti Honkanen, director of the institute
Mervi Nikander, head of strategy development, Regional Council of Lapland
10:00 Presentation of study findings and discussion
Marlene Kohllechner-Autto will present the study report outcomes
12:00 Lunch, restaurant Soppa ja Sumppi
13:15 Visit to Lapin Kuntoutus Ltd
Lapin Kuntoutus Ltd is one of two holders of the Social Enterprise Mark in
Lapland. Eija Räihä and Kati Itkonen will tell us more about their
organization and what effect the Social Enterprise Mark has had on their
operations
15:00 Visit to the Arctic Circle and Santa Claus Village
17:00 Transfer to hotel
19:00 Joint dinner, restaurant Nili
Dinner will be offered and hosted by the Finnish partner
Wednesday 24th of May
Place Sodankylä, Pohjoisimman Lapin Leader, Sompion Tähti cooperative
and Sodankylä central kitchen
9:00 Pick up from hotel, transfer to Sodankylä
10:30 Visit to Pohjoisimman Lapin Leader
Hanna-Leena Talvensaari will tell us about their Leader group and the
current state of social enterprises in rural areas.
12:00 Lunch, Päivin Kammari
13:00 Visit to Sompion Tähti
Tiina Kärjä-Lahdensuu will present to us the Sompion Tähti cooperative,
which operates in Sodankylä and its surrounding villages.
14:15 Visit to Sodankylä Keskuskeittiö (Sodankylä central kitchens)
Merja Ahola and Airi Keränen will introduce us to the operational model of
the central kitchen and how the use of local ingredients affects their
customers and the local community.
15:15 Transfer back to Rovaniemi
18:00 Outdoor dinner at traditional Finnish lean-to, grilling sausages and
tasting local delicacies (vegetarian options will be provided)
Thursday 25th of May, departure of participants