Job seekers are flowing into the travel industry again – Lapland is now attracting returnees and international experts

Press release | Thu Sep 21 09:00:00 2023

The upcoming winter season in the travel industry shows signs of picking up in terms of recruitment after a long time. The travel company Lapland Hotels & Safaris has received more applications than before: many of those who left the travel industry during the COVID-19 period have returned to familiar work, and at the same time, Lapland is attracting more and more professionals from abroad.

The travel industry has started to pick up after more challenging COVID-19 years and recruitment difficulties, which is shown by the number of applicants for the travel company Lapland Hotels & Safaris for the upcoming winter season. Especially those returning to the hotel and restaurant industry have started to flow back since 2022. Approximately 30 per cent of the experts in the travel industry left the field after COVID-19, which was also visible in Lapland Hotels & Safaris.

– “We are very happy that the experts are returning to the industry. The number of jobs has grown especially in the service sectors, and both customers and employees now find Lapland really attractive: for many, returning to the sector has been affected by the longing for work communities and social interaction brought on by a period of remote work, which plays a big role in the service sector. Lapland Hotels & Safaris' tourism will also continue to grow at a rapid pace,” says Lapland Hotels & Safaris' HR Manager Taru Tahvanainen.

In addition to work, people are looking for a Lapland experience in Finland

Lapland Hotels & Safaris is currently looking for seasonal workers for the upcoming winter season. In total, there are 1,800 professionals working in more than 50 different jobs in the winter. The seasonal employees of the travel company are mainly young people aged around 25–27, including people who have work experience in the industry. Since the COVID-19 period, there has also been a growing trend of international travel industry professionals touring from one tourist centre to another around the world.

– “The Lapland brand now attracts a lot of job seekers from abroad. It is noteworthy that applicants are increasingly strong professionals in their field. At the same rate, it will also make work communities more international in Finland. In addition to work, people are looking for a Lapland experience here, but not only on a one-off basis: well over half will come to us again,” says Tahvanainen.

The elf school and guide school are starting up again

During the winter season, the travel company Lapland Hotels & Safaris has a number of open positions in hotels, restaurants, the event service company Lapland Safaris and slopes. Job descriptions can include, for example, a receptionist, project coordinator, department head, chef, waiter, ski instructor, safari guide, dog sled guide, Christmas guide or elf. The travel company thoroughly familiarises and coaches the employees for all tasks: In Lapland, you can study at a guide school or an elf school.

– “We have the opportunity to try out different job descriptions behind the same door, implement ourselves and develop quickly in our careers. We need adventurous team players with an excellent customer service attitude and professional know-how. Community spirit, international spirit, genuine encounters and sustainability for both the environment and people are very important to us – and also today, in the opinion of job seekers, the most important values,” Tahvanainen sums up.

– “Our customer satisfaction has been at a high level for a long time, and it shows the excellent service attitude and professionalism of the staff. Our brand is well-known and authentic, and we have managed to maintain a genuine, friendly and unpretentious atmosphere,” she adds.

Check out Lapland Hotels & Safaris vacancies: https://laplandstaff.fi/en/job-openings/

Further information:

Taru Tahvanainen
HR manager
Lapland Hotels & Safaris
+358 (0) 400 690 543
taru.tahvanainen@laplandhotels.com

Travel enterprise Lapland Hotels & Safaris offers Northern experiences for all the senses. It consists of Finland’s largest private hotel chain, Lapland Hotels, the largest experience service company in the Nordic countries, Lapland Safaris Group Oy, and Lapland Ski Resorts. The group has approximately 1,700 employees in total.

Lapland Hotels has 19 hotels, more than 2,400 rooms and apartments as well as over 10,000 restaurant seats around Finland: in Ylläs, Levi, Saariselkä, Rovaniemi, Olos, Luosto, Kilpisjärvi, Pallas, Hetta, Helsinki, Tampere, Oulu and Kuopio.

Lapland Safaris offers unique outdoor activities in five destinations in Lapland: Rovaniemi, Ylläs, Saariselkä, Levi and Luosto.

Lapland Ski Resorts comprises five ski centres located in Ylläs, Luosto, Olos, Pallas and Rovaniemi. www.laplandhotels.com, www.laplandsafaris.com