Finland’s Santa Claus Village fuels overtourism at Christmas as residents call for control

Santa’s ‘hometown’ of Rovaniemi, Lapland joins the ranks of Barcelona and Amsterdam as droves flock there for Christmas. Locals aren’t happy

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The Santa Claus Village is driving overtourism in Rovaniemi, Finland. Residents say authorities aren’t doing enough to tackle the issue. Photo: AP

Published: 5:15pm, 15 Dec 2024

Shuffling across icy ground on a cold December afternoon, tourist groups pour into Santa Claus Village, a winter-themed amusement park perched on the edge of the Arctic Circle.

They frolic in the snow, take a reindeer sleigh ride, sip a cocktail in an ice bar or even meet Saint Nick himself in the capital of Finnish Lapland, Rovaniemi, which happily calls itself the “official hometown of Santa Claus”.

The Santa Claus Village theme park, which attracts more than 600,000 people annually, is especially popular during the holiday season.

“This is like my dream came true,” beamed Polish visitor Elzbieta Nazaruk. “I’m really excited to be here.”

Visitors to the Santa Claus Village are welcomed by Father Christmas. For some tourists, making a trip here to meet Saint Nick is a dream come true. Photo: AFP

Tourism is booming in Rovaniemi – which has hotel and restaurant owners, as well as city officials, excited as it brings lots of money to the town. However, not everyone is happy about the onslaught of visitors, 10 times the town’s population, each year at Christmas time.