On a chilly December afternoon, with the ground covered in ice, throngs of tourists flocked to Santa Claus Village, a winter-themed amusement park situated tantalizingly close to the Arctic Circle. Amidst the snow, visitors reveled in activities such as sleigh rides pulled by reindeer, enjoyed cocktails in an ice bar, and even had the chance to encounter Saint Nicholas himself in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland, which proudly dubs itself the "official hometown of Santa Claus." The Santa Claus Village theme park, which draws over 600,000 visitors each year, sees a surge in popularity especially during the festive season. "It's like a dream come true," exclaimed Polish tourist Elzbieta Nazaruk, her excitement palpable. "I'm truly thrilled to be here."

The tourism boom in Rovaniemi has hoteliers, restaurateurs, and city officials elated, as it injects a significant amount of revenue into the local economy. However, the influx of tourists, numbering ten times the town's population each Christmas, is not universally welcomed. "We are concerned about the unchecked growth of tourism. It has expanded so rapidly that it's now beyond control," remarked 43-year-old Antti Pakkanen, a photographer and member of a housing coalition that organized a demonstration through the city's streets in September. This sentiment is shared by residents in other European hotspots such as Barcelona, Amsterdam, Malaga, and Florence, where locals have voiced their opposition to "overtourism"—a term that describes the point at which the presence of tourists and their spending no longer benefits the local community but instead causes harm by damaging historical sites, overwhelming infrastructure, and significantly complicating life for residents.

This phenomenon has now extended its reach to the northernmost parts of Europe, including the Arctic Circle. In 2023, Rovaniemi recorded a record 1.2 million overnight visitors, marking a nearly 30% increase from 2022, following a recovery from pandemic-induced travel disruptions. "Nordic destinations are trending," stated Sanna Karkkainen, CEO of Visit Rovaniemi, as she stood in an ice restaurant with snow sculptors at work nearby. "People are eager to visit cool countries to witness the snow, the Northern Lights, and, of course, to see Santa Claus," she added. This year saw the inauguration of thirteen new flight routes to Rovaniemi Airport, connecting the city with Geneva, Berlin, Bordeaux, and other locations. While the majority of tourists hail from European nations like France, Germany, and the UK, Rovaniemi's appeal has broadened beyond these regions. Hotel rooms are in short supply this winter, and Tiina Määttä, the general manager of the 159-room Original Sokos Hotel, anticipates that 2024 will set even more records.

Critics of mass tourism in Rovaniemi argue that many apartment buildings in the city center are repurposed for accommodation services during peak seasons, rendering them unavailable for residential use. They assert that the proliferation of short-term rentals has inflated prices, displaced long-term residents, and transformed the city center into a "transient space for tourists." Finnish legislation prohibits the operation of professional accommodation services in buildings designated for residential purposes, prompting activists to call for stricter enforcement of these rules. "The regulations need to be better enforced," Pakkanen emphasized.

Not all residents share this viewpoint. Mayor Ulla-Kirsikka Vainio points out that some residents earn "good money" from short-term rentals. Regardless, it is unlikely that stricter regulations will be implemented in time to affect the current winter season. Despite the apprehensions expressed by locals, mass tourism to Rovaniemi is expected to continue growing in 2025, as visitors are drawn to the unique atmosphere of the northern region, particularly during the holiday season. "It's Christmas time, and we would love to see the Northern Lights," said Joy, a visitor from Bangkok. "Rovaniemi seems to be an excellent place for that."