PRESS RELEASE 20 January 2026 at 9.30 am
Honka to Build Finland’s Largest CLT Log Hotel as Tornio-Haparanda Rises as Lapland’s New Hotspot
Honkarakenne Plc is developing Finland’s largest ever log hotel on the banks of the Tornionjoki River, a stone’s throw from the centre of Tornio. Tornio-Haparanda is fast becoming Lapland’s next travel industry hub: a direct train connection to Sweden, which may open later this year, would allow climate-conscious and international tourists to reach the city directly from Central Europe. The city’s hotels have been operating at near full capacity for several years, with occupancy rates exceeding 70% all year round.
The planned log hotel will serve not only tourists but also business travellers who visit Tornio all year round because of the city’s thriving industrial sector.
“There are four hotels in the centre of Tornio, but we lack a resort that is in keeping with the local style. Nowadays, international travellers want nature to be part of the accommodation experience and Honka’s modern architecture and CLT log material are ideal for this,” says Anni Lamomprom, Tourism Coordinator at Business Tornio.
Tornio-Haparanda offers an exceptionally strong investment environment for tourism
Tourism in the Arctic area has expanded from traditional centres to new and attractive destinations, with Tornio, on the Finnish-Swedish border, being one of the emerging hubs of international tourism. The occupancy rate for hotels in Tornio is already exceptionally high for Finland, according to Tero Siivola, the CEO of Business Tornio.
“The occupancy rates of our current hotel capacity are high. This hotel project is extremely welcome, as it will enable us to accommodate growing numbers of international and domestic tourists as tourism expands. In 2024, overnight stays in Tornio by Finnish travellers increased by 18% and international overnight stays by 29%. In the same year, overnight stays in Lapland in general grew by 7%. We are an all-year-round destination: many of our hotels have an occupancy rate of over 70%, which is significantly higher than the average for Finland and Lapland.”
A rail link to Sweden is slated for completion in 2026, which would enable a direct train connection between Tornio and Central Europe. The log hotel being planned will be located a couple of minutes’ walk from Tornio railway station. The platform area of the previously disused railway station was renovated and electrified in 2024. The Tornio border is the busiest land border in Finland, with 14 million crossings every year.
Tornio’s economic vitality is supported by a diverse and strong industrial base, which in recent years has attracted significant investments to the region and is expected to continue to grow in the coming years. This is also reflected in the structure of tourism: business travellers account for a significant share of total demand in the region.
The city’s attractiveness is further enhanced by its twin city, Haparanda – making it possible to visit two countries in a single day on the same trip. For Finns, Haparanda is particularly attractive as a shopping destination because of its lower price level. The area is also home to the world’s northernmost IKEA.
Spectacular multi-storey CLT log hotel positions itself as a pioneer in sustainable tourism
The log hotel being developed by Honkarakenne will be located in a stunning setting on the eastern banks of the Tornionjoki River, next to Hannula Bridge, which dates from 1939. The site is situated only 200 metres from Tornio railway station and 500 metres from Tornio city centre.
The design and consultancy company AINS Group has prepared an adaptable land use plan for the site, enabling the profitable further development of the hotel concept to meet the needs of luxury, family and business travellers alike. The further design of the spa, traditional smoke sauna and outdoor pool planned for the hotel will be carried out in collaboration with the future spa operator. Hotel and spa customers will appreciate the site’s stunning waterfront views, easy accessibility and location within walking distance of Tornio city centre’s amenities.
“We have been planning to build steps leading from the hotel down to the river that would be open to the general public, making it possible to enjoy the Tornionjoki River in a more varied way,” says architect Jukka Kettunen, AINS Group’s Urban Development Director.
When completed, the 150-room hotel will be the largest log hotel ever built in Finland. The building will utilise Honka’s MultiStorey concept, which enables impressive and durable hybrid multi-storey construction from non-settling CLT logs.
“The concept offers excellent fire safety and acoustics and combines healthy indoor air with architectural design freedom,” explains Markus Saarelainen, Sales Director of Honkarakenne’s B2B sales.
The buildings will be made of Honka’s CLT logs, which combine durability with healthy indoor air and excellent acoustics. This fits in perfectly with Tornio’s development goals for tourism, as the city aims to become one of the first Sustainable Travel Finland cities.
Finland is a leader in sustainable tourism, and solutions that support sustainability will become increasingly important in the future, alongside another global megatrend – wellness tourism. The planned development responds directly to this trend, with a focus on holistic well-being, healthy living environments and recovery.
More information:
Honkarakenne Plc
Raimo Pirhonen
Business Development Manager
+358 50 480 0049
raimo.pirhonen@honka.com
AINS Group
Jukka Kettunen
Director of Urban Development
+358 40 733 8280
jukka.kettunen@ains.fi
Pictures: https://honka.mediabank.fi/fi/collection/view_share_link/d554100c8c6be1966e3db1cd84a0659a – Download the image by clicking on the arrow: Download original / Download original
Honkarakenne Oyj manufactures high-quality, healthy and ecological log homes, holiday homes and public buildings under its Honka® brand from Finnish solid wood. The company has delivered 90,000 buildings to over 50 countries. House kits are manufactured in Finland, the company’s own factory is located in Karstula. In 2024, Honkarakenne Group’s net sales were EUR 36.7 million, of which exports accounted for 29 %. www.honka.com
AINS Group is a Finnish, innovative design and consultancy firm paving the way in the built environment. Our community of 1,400 experts provides comprehensive design and project management services for construction and industrial projects across six business areas: project and construction management, architectural design, structural engineering, renovation design, industrial and building services engineering, and civil engineering. Our group also includes the architecture firm ONE Architects. We operate from 19 locations in Finland and abroad. www.ains.fi/en
