Helsinki Airport unveils forest-themed commercial area to enhance passenger experience and Finnish nature inspiration

Credit: Helsinki Airport

Finavia is continuing to develop the commercial selection at Helsinki Airport (HEL), with a new forest-themed area set to open in the Schengen gate area at the beginning of 2026. The space aims to inspire passengers with Finnish nature and enhance the overall travel experience.

“Finland has been ranked as the happiest country in the world for the eighth time in a row. One significant factor behind the happiness of Finns is their connection to nature. A piece of Finnish forest landscape will be built at the heart of the new commercial area, inviting visitors to explore before their flight departs. The forest is surrounded by the new commercial premises and a café and restaurant, with products and services that enrich the offering in the gate area,” says Nora Immonen, Finavia’s Director of Commercial Services for Helsinki Airport.

The new shops, kiosk and café will open in March 2026 in the Schengen side of the terminal, before border control. Five operators will create a clear and interesting commercial selection around the forest theme. These include Partioaitta, popular with hikers and tourists; Lindex, offering Scandinavian fashion; R-kioski, providing snacks; Pure – Taste of Finland, featuring berries and natural flavours as gifts; and Picnic, a family-friendly café and restaurant.

“Operators whose products and services complement the selection in an interesting way were put out to tender for the new area. We believe that the customers at the airport are interested in camping products, northern flavours and fashion. The food selection offers both quick snacks that passengers can easily take with them and a cosy café and restaurant where passengers can spend time before their flight,” Immonen adds.

Finavia uses passenger surveys and international industry trends to develop Helsinki Airport into the best airport in Europe. The surveys indicate strong passenger interest in souvenirs and gifts, particularly food products, as well as Finnish flavours and healthy takeaway options in restaurants.

“We warmly welcome the new operators to Helsinki Airport! More than one million passengers pass through our airport every month, and they are already served by around 50 shops and 50 restaurants and cafés. The customer experience at our airport is among the best in Europe, which supports commercial success,” says Immonen.

Helsinki Airport has been recognised as the Commercial Space of the Year in the 2025 NCSC Awards Finland competition. According to an annual stakeholder survey conducted by Taloustutkimus, commercial partners’ satisfaction with Finavia was 4.40 out of 5 in 2024, reflecting the airport’s strong focus on passenger experience and commercial excellence.

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