Heidi and Ville Haavikko’s family-owned company, Snowhotel Family, has purchased the Gallery building located in Santa Claus Village. The Gallery will transfer to Snowhotel Family’s ownership on 1st of October 2024 from its current operator, Wild Nordic. Wild Nordic will continue its safari operations in the building as usual until the end of 2025 winter season.
The Gallery building is located next to the restaurant Santamus, operated by Snowhotel Family.
“We have big plans for the Gallery building. Our goal is to create a new, unprecedented tourism service in the area that will bring much-needed excitement for the hundreds of thousands of visitors of Santa Claus Village,” states Snowhotel Family CEO Ville Haavikko.
Snowhotel Family already operates two businesses at the Arctic Circle: the Snowman World snow amusement park and the Santamus experience restaurant. The Gallery is located right next to Santamus. Starting this fall, the Gallery will provide new break and social areas for Santamus’ staff. The goal is to begin work on the big plans at the earliest opportunity.
“There is currently an ongoing zoning amendment process at the Arctic Circle, and the outcome of that will influence how extensively we can implement our vision,” Haavikko adds. “We will be able to finalize plans for the new tourism service once the zoning amendment is completed.”
Santa Claus Village attracts more than 600 000 visitors annually. Most visitors are satisfied with their experience, but there is also feedback.
“Year after year, the area receives criticism about similar issues: there’s a need for more activities, both free and paid, for adults and especially children, longer opening hours, particularly in the evening, more sledding and sliding areas, and a stronger sense of Christmas spirit,” lists Antti Nikander, the development manager (also known as touhutonttu) of the Santa Claus Village cooperative. “I’m super excited to hear about Snowhotel Family’s plans, as their new business idea promises to address much of the feedback we’ve received from customers.”
Veronika Butinova, CEO of Wild Nordic, the seller of the Gallery building, is pleased with the property sale. Wild Nordic’s business has changed in recent years. The company manages several properties that no longer serve its current business model. The sale of the property will reduce Wild Nordic´s running costs and help focus better on the core business, which is providing safari services.
“We want the operations of Santa Claus Village to develop for the benefit of everyone. Snowhotel Family plans to bring something entirely new to the Gallery, which will increase the overall experience of the Village. When the whole operation runs well, all the businesses in the Village will have enough work. With the property sale, we hope to foster even closer cooperation,” Butinova celebrates.
More information:
Ville Haavikko
CEO
Snowhotel Family
+35840 769 0395
ville@snowhotel.fi
snowhotel.fi
Veronika Butinova
CEO
Wild Nordic
+35840 520 1969
veronika.butinova@wildnordic.fi
wildnordic.fi
Antti Nikander
Development Manager
Santa Claus Village Cooperative
+35840 570 4865
contact@santaclausvillage.info
santaclausvillage.info
About the companies:
Heidi and Ville Haavikko founded their family business, Snowhotel Family, in 2008. The company offers unique bucket-list experiences with snow and ice at three locations: the Arctic Snowhotel & Glass Igloos in Lehtojärvi, Rovaniemi; the Snowman World amusement park; and the Santamus experience restaurant at the Arctic Circle. The company strives to be the best employer in Lapland’s tourism industry and the most reliable and interesting partner for travel agencies and other stakeholders in the travel industry. During the season, the company employs 190 people.
Wild Nordic is a program service company that offers a variety of nature activities. Snowmobile safaris are their main service, but they also provide a wide range of other services and experiences. Their operations are based in two locations: Rovaniemi and Levi.
The purpose of the Santa Claus Village Cooperative is to support its members’ businesses by engaging in commercial activities, developing the marketing, sales, joint procurement, training, and information-sharing of Santa Claus Village and Rovaniemi as a destination, and participating in the overall development of tourism in cooperation with the public sector and other industries.
Currently, the cooperative consists of 64 member companies. Their combined turnover already exceeds 100 million euros.