My Oulu: Nallikari is ready for new era – Oulu dares to invest in tourism

Development of the Nallikari tourist area took a leap towards a brighter future in the middle of grey October, as the minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä laid the foundation stone for the new building in Nallikari. Lintilä was pleased that Oulu dares to invest in tourism in such a significant way.

”The Minister of Tourism has not had very many opportunities to inaugurate new tourist destinations, let alone to lay foundation stones lately. This is the kind of strengthening of faith and mood-tuning we need for Finnish tourism, which has been strangled by the coronavirus and now by Russias war against Ukraine,” Lintilä said. 

Lintilä sees a lot of tourism potential in Nallikari and Oulu in the future.

”There are significant events coming to Oulu – the Housing Fair in 2025 and European Capital of Culture year in 2026, but also the Pohjola Ring Road and the Bothnian Bay Coastal Route offer new opportunities in the development of tourism in the area,” Lintilä praised.

High ambitions without forgetting locals

Nallikari’s appeal is not only dependent on international tourists, which is why it is worth investing.  The area is important for the well-being of oulu residents all year round, which is why Nallikari is not developed with the flow of tourists in mind alone.

”Nallikari is important to the locals, it is part of the Oulu spirit. We want all of us locals to be proud of Nallikari. With this in mind, we want to develop the area,” said Sirpa Walter, CEO of Nallikari Seaside Ltd.

Walter herself has been working for Nallikari for twenty years, so she knows what the people of Oulu – and tourists – are looking for in the area.  The three-storey building will have holiday apartments with sea views and public toilet and shower facilities for beach visitors. In the future, the equipment rental company will have bikes, kayaks or snowshoes available for Nallikari visitors. The construction work will take a year and if everything goes according to plan, the opening of the new premises will be celebrated in a year’s time.  Although the area is also being developed with the needs of the locals in mind, Walter says that the goals for the development of tourism in Nallikari have been set boldly high.

”We want to be Finland’s most attractive tourist destination by the sea. That is what we are trying to do in the near future. All of us actors work for Nallikari with a big heart,” Walter assures. 

Figures show successes

Nallikari’s current overnight stays are 100,000 per year, this has been the case for the past few years. The overnight stays in the whole of Oulu are between 500,00 – 600,000 every year.

”We are seen as pioneers in the industry. Others come to us to learn about marketing and advanced booking channels, for example,” Walter points out.

Nallikari has been the first company in Oulu to receive the STF label (Finland’s Sustainable Tourism Label). In addition, it has a GreenKey certificate for sustainable tourism and a carbon neutrality target. Thanks to these, there is also a desire to hear about Nallikari’s operating methods elsewhere.

When Walter took over as campsite manager in 1999, there were 28 chalets in the area, some of which were under construction. There are currently 24 villas in use for accommodation. The old camping cottages have been removed and nine summer cottages have been acquired in their place. The Nallikari area is developing rapidly: the family attraction Vauhtipuisto is moving closer to the shore and will be completed by the summer and the new building of Nallikari Seaside Oy should be ready in a year’ s time.  The ’Oulu’s Riviera’ is preparing for a bright future and growth in tourism.