Vuokatti’s vision for 2040 updated — Vuokatti’s evolvement as a major destination for tourism and investment

13.11.2025 10:35

The development of Vuokatti’s slopes is progressing to meet the growing numbers of tourists and to tap into the potential of year-round tourism. The Vuokatti 2040 vision and concept plan has been developed into an attractive package for investors, including a new hotel and a public sauna.

Regional and slope plans for Vuokatti in Sotkamo will be developed through regional cooperation for tourism investments of significant scale. The Vuokatti 2040 vision, published in January, has been developed into a refined concept plan, which includes clear packages for different levels of investment.

– Vuokatti is a unique year-round tourist destination with a lot of untapped potential on its slopes and in its services. The international traffic connections of the area have been improved, and the planned train connection will strengthen Vuokatti’s status as a sustainable tourism destination, says Mr. Kosti Puurunen, CEO of Vuokatti Sport Resort and its backer, Vuokatin Säätiö (Vuokatti Foundation).

In the Vuokatti development plan, the land use, infrastructure and services of the Vuokatti ski area form a sustainable and attractive package for tourists and investors. The plan includes investments of around €690 million in the development of ski areas, hotels, cottage accommodation, restaurants and services.

– The land managed by the Vuokatti Foundation has been excellently taken into account in the new development version of the concept plan. It has also served as a great guideline for Vuokatti Sport’s “All in” strategy, which will be completed by the end of the year. We want to build a more vibrant centre for active tourists, top athletes and corporate clients, says Puurunen.

“We are taking a leap that has already been seen in Lapland”

Overnight stays increased by four percentage points in Vuokatti last year, although the country as a whole saw a decline. In summer 2025, the number of overnight stays was already 9% higher than in the previous year. The biggest increase has been in overnight stays by foreign tourists, and the number is expected to double in the coming years.

– The winter season is the strongest attraction in the whole of Kainuu, and the number of international chartered holiday flights is growing year on year. 17 charter flights have already been agreed for the coming winter, and new ones for the winter 2026–2027 are currently being negotiated. In Kainuu, we are taking the leap in international tourism growth that has already been seen in Rovaniemi and Lapland, says Ms. Aija Laukkanen, CEO of Vuokatti Tourism Ltd.

The majority of people arriving at Kajaani Airport on international charter flights stay in Vuokatti.

Train service to the walkable village centre is progressing

At the heart of Vuokatti’s development is the compact village centre in the northern slope area, where accommodation and services are within walking distance. The updated concept plan, which extends to 2040, will see the hotel built next to the existing ski centre, with plans to include a public sauna. The plan has been further developed by AINS Group and ONE Architects.

– Further planning has been based on active market dialogue. International investors have also visited the area. Vuokatti is attractive because it has all the trump cards for tourism investment: year-round activities, diverse nature with a suitable climate and constantly improving accessibility, says Mr. Jukka Kettunen, Director of Urban Development at AINS Group.

There is further interest in the possible opening of a train connection to Vuokatti. A train service from Helsinki via Joensuu and from Oulu directly to Vuokatti requires the electrification of the rail line and the reopening of passenger traffic. Electrification is currently being planned, and a preliminary passenger transport survey will be carried out in 2026.

A major investment was recently announced by Osuuskauppa Maakunta, which is expanding Break Sokos Hotel Vuokatti with 44 new holiday apartments. There are also plans for new slopes and lifts, in the first phase an extension of the western slopes to the top of the hill, and a new six-person chairlift.

– The potential for ski-in, ski-out type accommodation and services remains largely untapped. This is an opportunity to take the ski resort and all of Vuokatti to a whole new level, says Mr. Lauri Suutarinen, CEO of Vuokatti Ski Resort.

The Vuokatti 2040 development plan brings together a wide range of stakeholders in the area. The municipality of Sotkamo, Vuokatti Foundation and the Vuokatti Ski Resort slope company Huippupaikat Oy, various service providers and landowners as well as Kajaani University of Applied Sciences are involved. The development plan will strengthen Vuokatti’s status as a year-round tourist destination, combining high-quality slope and cross-country skiing services, new winter and summer activities, and family-friendly tourism services.

For more information, please contact:

Kosti Puurunen, CEO, Vuokatti Sport Resort and Vuokatti Foundation
tel. +358 (0)40 560 9291

Aija Laukkanen, CEO, Vuokatti Tourism Ltd.
tel. +358 (0)40 611 6950

Lauri Suutarinen, CEO, Huippupaikat Oy
tel. +358 (0)50 597 5397

Vuokatti 2040 – twice as many tourists

• The target is 1.5 million overnight stays in Vuokatti by 2040, up from 736,000 today
• 200,000 international overnight stays in 2040, up from 20,000 today
• Three slope areas with different profiles, forming a whole, with coordinated development
• 12,000 new beds, up from 10,000 today
  • 3–6 new hotels,
  • 2,500 new holiday apartments, private or for rent
• 7 new slopes, up from 14 today
• 5 new ski lifts, up from 10 today
• 8 km of new nature and landscape trails
• Attractive network of cross-country skiing routes

The future growth and development of Vuokatti’s tourism requires the creation of new services. Illustration: ONE Architects.

The new hotel is a key investment in the walkable, compact village centre. Current plans call for the hotel to be built close to the existing ski centre, which will be retained in the first phase of construction. Illustration: ONE Architects.

From the public sauna, you can enjoy a magnificent view of Vuokatti’s hills in summer and winter. The sauna is easily accessible directly from the future train and bus terminal. Illustration: ONE Architects.