Inspection trip to the fairytale Finnish Lapland
As part of an inspection trip, Diewertje, Director MICE & Marketing, and I – Lotte, Project Manager goMICE – visited my all-time favourite destination in February 2020: Finnish Lapland. Little did we know back then that this would be one of our last inspection trips for the time being, due to COVID-19 in 2020... fortunately, the world is once again at our feet, and we can travel to this amazing winter paradise again!
Why an inspection visit?
As a project manager for goMICE, I'm normally travelling frequently. Largely to escort groups, but inspection trips (sometimes with a client) are also regularly part of the schedule. To continue offering the highest quality and to stay up-to-date with all the ins and outs on location, we regularly visit the destinations we offer. During these inspection trips, we visit our (regular) suppliers and we also always go in search of new gems.
Inspection trips are really incredibly important. One year a restaurant might be very good, but the following year a different chef could be in charge who doesn't deliver the quality we offer our customers. It's also very important to maintain relationships with our local suppliers. It's good to know who you're working with, and by keeping in close contact, we ensure that we can always offer our groups the best deal and the most favourable terms.
Have a great holiday!
Friends and family often wish me a nice holiday when I go on an inspection trip again, but nothing could be further from the truth. We plan inspection trips almost to the minute, always wanting to see, do, and visit and investigate as much as possible during our time on location. This inspection trip was also packed full:
- 3 days
- 2 winter cities (Rovaniemi and Levi)
- 550 kilometres to drive in the hire car
- -15 degrees
- 27 meetings with suppliers
- 24 restaurants to visit
A good preparation is half the work.
To get the most out of an inspection trip, good preparation is half the battle. I always start the preparation by making a list of the suppliers and the places I want to visit, always selecting both regular suppliers and (potential) new suppliers. I then create an initial schedule, taking into account, among other things:
- The location of the suppliers: where are they situated and which visits can we easily combine?
- Estimate of time per appointment: varying from approximately 15 to 60 minutes per supplier.
- Possible opening hours: for example, restaurants may not be open all days of the week or may only be open in the evenings.
- Free time: not for shopping, but for hunting for new gems! Often also useful to have as a buffer (appointments sometimes take longer).
Following this, I will schedule the appointments with the suppliers. The schedule often changes a few more times, depending on our suppliers’ diaries. It’s always a fun puzzle, but it’s very satisfying once the inspection programme is finalised!
Winter Wonderland WOW Destination: Finnish Lapland
I'm really a summer person myself: I love the sun and dislike the cold entirely. Funnily enough, Finnish Lapland is my number one travel destination! Why? It's truly a must-see bucket list destination! The magic of Lapland lies in its vast wilderness, the extreme temperatures (sometimes down to -35 degrees!), the thick blanket of snow, the crisp air, the delicious fresh food, the unique activities you can organise here, the hospitable people, the impressive Northern Lights, and of course, the amazing huskies and reindeer!
Visit to Rovaniemi: the home of Santa Claus!
After all the preparations, the three-day inspection trip could finally begin. After an early morning flight, Diewertje and I arrived at Kittila airport where it was -15 degrees and snowing. Welcome to Lapland! We immediately picked up our hire car. Fun fact: when you collect the key, the employee pre-warms the car from a distance. That way, you always get into a nice warm car 😊
For the first 1.5 days, we visited Rovaniemi: the capital of Finnish Lapland. The town is located precisely on the Arctic Circle and is known as the birthplace of Santa Claus. Almost all restaurants and hotels have the word 'Santa' in their name. The cosy town offers everything needed for a successful trip! Think of quality restaurants, good hotels, a pleasant centre. When you drive out of the centre, you are immediately in the vast wilderness, where the most amazing activities are possible!
The Snow Hotel and wagging huskies
In and around Rovaniemi, we visited amazing locations such as the famous Snow Hotel and its associated Glass Igloos. The hotel is made entirely of snow and consists of snow walls, the most beautiful snow sculptures, and quite literally the coolest beds you will ever see. A unique place to sleep! The hotel also offers glass igloos where a fantastic overnight stay is possible. Enjoy the impressive starry sky and be woken up by the aurora alarm when the Northern Lights are visible!
We also visited our favourite husky farm, among other places, where we were enthusiastically welcomed by our contacts and the wagging huskies, always nice to see them again. This supplier recently started organising Yoga Classes which can be combined with husky tours. A great new option for our groups!
Levi
On our way to Rovaniemi, we visited the village of Levi. A perfect destination for groups looking for a ski trip but who have perhaps had their fill of Austria or Germany. Levi is located around 170 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and, at first glance, appears to be a small village. In reality, it is a trendy ski resort with 43 pistes. Major ski competitions are regularly held here, and there are also plenty of après-ski opportunities!
Eating, eating, eating and... the Northern Lights
Many appointments were also scheduled in Levi. The Finns are incredibly hospitable and at almost every appointment, we were not only warmly welcomed, but also provided with local delicacies. In addition, throughout the entire inspection trip, we visited 24 restaurants where we checked the quality of the food almost everywhere. For example, we fully enjoyed wild salmon, reindeer meat, and warm berry juice. What a tough job we have 😉. We have found a number of great new restaurants which we can offer to groups, and we also found a perfect spot to organise a Luxury Outdoor Winter BBQ.
On the last evening, after inspecting various restaurants, we walked back to the hotel, located in the centre of Levi. On the way, we were treated to a surprise by the impressive Northern Lights dancing around us. I have had the good fortune to witness this fantastic natural phenomenon several times now, and it truly remains the icing on the cake! It was a very successful inspection trip!
Our Top 5 Activities in Finnish Lapland!
We've compiled our favourite activities from Finnish Lapland into a beautiful top 5 impressions video. Click on the video below and experience the real winter WOW feeling of this amazing destination from behind your computer!
Go for the ultimate Winter WOW experience!
At goMICE, our aim is to elevate your meeting, event, or incentive trip to the next level. The impact of a trip or event can be enhanced in many ways. If you wish, we will collaborate with you on the complete communication journey surrounding your LIVE moment:
- How can we involve and inform participants for longer and more effectively?
- How can we ensure that the objectives are met?
- How can we make the experience EVEN more complete?
For this, we will create a bespoke concept with a detailed communication plan if desired, which we will implement with meticulous attention to detail in all aspects, preceding, during, and after your meeting, event, or group trip. We will use our unique goMICE Stretching Method This way, your organisation or message will remain top of mind with your target audience for longer, and we will ensure even greater impact!
Are you also curious about the possibilities for a group trip to Finnish Lapland? Then feel free to Contact Get in touch with us, we're happy to help you!
Update: This blog was first published on 03 November 2020 and was updated with new information on 24 October 2022.