South African travellers dreaming of a White Christmas, or just an Arctic Circle experience incorporating the Aurora Borealis, may now enter Finland without taking a COVID-19 test or having to self-isolate or quarantine if they have been fully vaccinated or have a certificate stating they have recovered from COVID-19.
They need a certificate of an approved full-course COVID-19 vaccination (no less than 14 days from the last dose) or laboratory confirmation of having been infected with COVID-19 within the past six months.
Travellers coming from EU or Schengen countries may enter with no restrictions at all.
But unvaccinated passengers from high-risk countries may only enter for essential reasons, and will require testing and self-isolation (of an unspecified length). From July 26, all countries were deemed high-risk countries apart from Australia, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, China, Macao, Malta, Poland, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Taiwan, New Zealand and Vatican City.
Joanne Adolphe, Cullinan Outbound ceo, was delighted with the news of Finland opening to vaxxed SA travellers. “This means we can visit Santa Claus for Xmas – what a perfect Christmas for children!” She said even before COVID-19 struck, Xmas with Santa was becoming a popular seller for Thompsons Holidays.
Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, Finland’s most northerly province, is only six km south of the Arctic Circle. It has its own airport only five km from the town. Aside from the attractions of Santa Claus, from Rovaniemi the Aurora Borealis (the Northern Lights) are visible for about 150 nights a year, in and around the city from late August until early April.
The Santa Claus Village at Rovaniemi is famous, and Xmas in Santa Claus’s official residence is a major attraction in Finland, attracting 500 000 visitors a year. It has shops, restaurants and cafés, husky and reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobile tours, shops filled with design items and souvenirs, ice and snow constructions, an igloo hotel and holiday village accommodation.
