Economic Benefits from National Parks

Local businesses benefit from the funds granted by the Finnish government for national parks and hiking areas, as the funds return to society many-folded through local entrepreneurship and jobs. Government budget funds are used for building and maintaining hiking facilities in national parks and hiking areas. The private sector creates tourism business services around these areas.

The Finnish government finances the trails and campfire sites, i.e. the infrastructure of national parks and hiking areas. These facilities help create tourism industry in the vicinity of the protected areas.

The input-output ratio of the national parks is good: when Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland invests one euro of tax payers’ money in the hiking services of national parks, the local economy benefits over 10 euros, on average. For national parks located next to ski resorts, the average input-output ratio is still higher. Close to big cities and the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, the visitation impacts are primarily recreation and health benefits.

Results in 2023

The total income and job impacts of all the 41 national parks in 2023 were 285.1 million euros and about 2,243 jobs (full-time equivalent) and for all the 5 national hiking areas 11.5 million euros and about 99 jobs (FTE).

Year 2023, the national parks with biggest local economic impacts were Pallas–Yllästunturi National Park with 69.7 million euros, Urho Kekkonen National Park with 46.0 million euros, Pyhä–Luosto National Park with 27.8 million euros, Oulanka National Park with 25.2 million euros and Koli National Park with 24.1 million euros.

The biggest local economic impacts can be seen in tourism centres where the visitors stay for a longer period and the supply of tourism services is larger. In 2023, the visitation numbers in Nuuksio National Park in the Helsinki Metropolitan area were 274,400 and those in Koli National Park 249,100. Yet the local economic impacts were much more important in Koli which generated 24.1 million euros, whereas Nuuksio only 7.2 million euros.

More information