Wonder World: Yrjotapio Kivisaari, CEO – Visit Levi – speaks of a unique destination

In an exclusive interview with Today’s Traveller, Yrjotapio Kivisaari, CEO – Visit Levi, states that Levi is favoured because it is an all-season destination.

The destination is culturally rich and showcases exemplary accommodation in a pristine setting.

People often make their travel plans in accordance with various factors – salubrious weather, comfortable accommodation and what the destination has to offer in terms of culture, accommodation options and unique experiences.

It is seldom that one encounters a destination that is intrinsically beautiful and culturally vibrant, one that offers leisure activities year-round, and a warm and hospitable ambience.

Located near the North of the Arctic Circle, Levi Lapland is one such destination where life comes easy to you and days and nights pass with Nature as your companion.

Levi is the largest ski resort in Finland, boasting a large accommodation capacity, snow activities, and a plethora of breathtaking, magical natural sights to keep you
animated.

In an enlightening conversation with Today’s Traveller, Yrjötapio Kivisaari, CEO – Visit Levi, talks about the USPs of Levi.

He speaks of the company’s promotional ventures to highlight this beautiful destination to Indian travellers, and how you can spend a typical day in Levi where Nature displays its creativity in most astounding ways.

Today’s Traveller: How does Levi promote itself as a preferred tourism destination?

Yrjötapio Kivisaari : We are promoting Levi through workshops, sales calls, agent networking, training programmes, travel trade shows etc. to increase awareness among travellers, which, in turn, will help us in increasing guest scores for this alluring destination. We are also very visible through our social media platforms – Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest etc.

We also organise Fam Tours for media and travel agents to highlight the destination. Our very popular website www.levi.fi/en/ gets 10 million hits monthly, showcasing various highlights of Levi for business and leisure tourists alike.

Today’s Traveller: What are the USPs of Levi as a tourist destination?

Yrjötapio Kivisaari: Though Finland is a much sought-after destination for a seasoned traveller, our strategy for highlighting Levi will be as an all-season destination – be it for the Midnight Sun in summer, the Northern Lights in winter or the vibrant colours of autumn.

Also, it is important for tourists to appreciate the Sami people (the indigenous people of the Arctic Region), and their lifestyle, the reindeer herders and also about Sustainable Tourism.

Levi has all kinds of beautiful accommodation – be it apartments, cabins, igloos, hotel rooms or spa hotels. The accommodation itself is a major USP – being centrally located, with the buzz of a vibrant city comprising restaurants and pubs, yet within the precincts of a forest and therefore close to Nature.

Today’s Traveller: Describe a typical day in Levi

Yrjötapio Kivisaari: A typical day in Levi comprises a leisurely breakfast in your accommodation, visiting reindeer and husky farms, stepping out for a hike in one of the several fells around, lighting a bonfire and enjoying a picnic lunch or hiring a sturdy electric bike and zipping away into the forests, picking up superfood like cloudberries, blueberries (bilberries), lingonberries, cranberries and mushrooms; breathing the purest air in beautiful surroundings.

And, in the evening, after dinner, hunting for the Northern Lights! Levi needs to be explored fully in order to discover all its hidden gems. There are good walking tracks all around and an activity park that’s worth a visit.

About Levi

Levi is a micro-city developed around a ski resort in the village of Sirkka in the Kittilä municipality in Western Lapland, 180 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle

In Levi, being impressed by the natural surroundings is inescapable: from river valleys and frozen lakes up to the fells with spectacular views over the Lappish landscape, Levi is all about northern nature at its best.

During the winter months, from mid-November to mid-May, Levi is Finland’s most popular ski resort with a total of 44 runs serviced by 28 lifts.

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