Tampere Steps Up: A High-Activity Autumn Strengthening Its Position as Finland’s Fastest-Growing Regional Hub
Credit: Visit Tampere
The Tampere Region has entered one of its most dynamic periods in recent years. As Finland’s largest inland city and a rapidly growing industrial and technology hub, Tampere has spent the autumn accelerating initiatives that reinforce its role also as a key regional aviation gateway. With strong business travel demand, new logistics initiatives and multiple international partnerships, the region is sending a clear message to carriers: Tampere is a rising Nordic market where growth is actively enabled - not merely awaited.
Industrial Momentum Fuels Steady Business Travel Demand
Despite fluctuations in the Nordic aviation market, Tampere’s corporate travel segment has remained both resilient and strategically valuable. The region’s industrial backbone, spanning semiconductors, photonics, quantum technology, heavy machinery, defense, cybersecurity and hydrogen innovation, continues to rely heavily on seamless international connectivity.
Global players such as Valmet, AGCO Power, Sandvik, Insta, Nokian Tyres and Bronto Skylift all maintain significant operations in the area. Their need for dependable, frequent access to European hubs has remained strong throughout the year.
This underlying demand is reflected in the performance of airBaltic’s double-daily Riga service, which continues to show solid forward bookings across both corporate and leisure segments. The catchment’s rising startup community and increasing international recruitment are further strengthening the case for additional point-to-point European routes.
Building Foundations for Growth: Travel Chains and Cargo Ecosystems
A notable development this autumn has been Tampere’s deliberate effort to enhance the ground ecosystem supporting air connectivity. Two regional working groups were launched to remove friction from multimodal travel and to strengthen regional logistics performance.
Strengthening Regional Travel Chains
The new Travel-Chain Development Group brings together several surrounding regions with the aim of creating a coherent and predictable access network to Tampere Airport. The goal is simple but ambitious: ensure that business and leisure travelers across Western and Central Finland have smooth, reliable links to their nearest international gateway.
Aligning Industry Around Air Cargo Needs
In parallel, the Logistics & Air Cargo Group focuses on improving the region’s parts-logistics performance - a critical factor for Tampere’s heavy export industries. Faster repair cycles, predictable cargo flows, and regional feeder solutions were highlighted as essential enablers of industrial competitiveness.
Together, these initiatives underline a broader shift: Tampere is not only responding to air travel demand, but also structurally building the environment that supports it.
Aviation Meets Industry: Tampere Aviation Forum @ Alihankinta
One of the season’s signature events was the Tampere Aviation Forum, organized alongside Finland’s largest industrial subcontracting fair. The forum brought together aviation leaders, regional companies, technology firms and clean-tech innovators for a full day of discussions on the future of regional aviation.
Speeches and panel sessions throughout the day explored the key forces reshaping the regional market, including:
- next-generation feeder traffic and regional air mobility
- sustainable aviation, SAF/eSAF and emerging hydrogen pathways
- air cargo resilience within global supply chains
- Europe’s evolving connectivity landscape
The discussions underscored Tampere’s ambition to position itself as one of Finland’s leading development hubs for green regional aviation and next-generation air mobility solutions.
Expanding International Collaboration – Including New European Pathways
Beyond aviation, Tampere has strengthened multiple international cooperation channels during the autumn. Partnerships with EastCham Finland, the Pro Ukraine initiative, and cross-border innovation networks highlight the region’s growing capacity as a connector between Finland, Europe and emerging reconstruction markets.
These international linkages further support long-term air travel demand and position Tampere as a gateway city for trade, investment and innovation flows.
Airport and Region Fully Aligned Behind Growth
Behind the scenes, collaboration between Finavia, the City of Tampere, Pirkkala municipality and Business Tampere has intensified.
Over the past months, the partners have worked in close alignment to:
- support ongoing airline negotiations
- strengthen ground transport access
- accelerate marketing cooperation
- conduct cargo and apron capacity assessments
- Advanced national advocacy on regional air connectivity
The message delivered to carriers is unified and consistent: the Tampere region is committed, coordinated and ready to invest in long-term partnerships.
Tampere’s Promise to Airlines
As airlines plan their networks for the 2026–2028 seasons, Tampere offers a compelling value proposition:
- high-yield corporate demand anchored by global industrial players
- a wide catchment covering the most populated parts of Western & Central Finland
- an 365/24/7 operating airport with growth capacity, reliability and low congestion
- a region fully prepared for co-investment and strategic partnerships
- A track record of professional, data-driven route development
With ambitious regional initiatives and strong industrial fundamentals, Tampere stands out as one of Northern Europe’s most promising growth-ready markets, and a destination where airlines can build sustainable, long-term success.
More information:
Marja Aalto,