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Finland’s largest ski resort unveils €60 million investment plan

By Thomas Nilsen, The Barents Observer May 28, 2026
Construction is scheduled to begin in spring 2027 on a new hotel, restaurant and service centre that will mark the largest investment in the history of Levi Ski Resort.
Photo: Thomas Nilsen

Levi Ski Resort is Finland’s largest and best-known winter resort, offering more than 40 slopes alongside extensive cross-country skiing trails. In recent years, its mid-winter deep cold, polar-night atmosphere and festive Christmas appeal have driven a sharp rise in visitor numbers, supported by a growing number of direct flights from across Europe to nearby Kittilä Airport.

According to a statement issued on Wednesday, the new development will comprise a 14,000-square-metre hotel complex with approximately 250 rooms, as well as restaurants and wider service facilities. It will be located next to Zero Point in the centre of Levi.

The resort has not disclosed which international hotel operator has secured the contract.

“The project attracted strong interest from a wide range of international hotel operators. We are pleased that, in the end, we selected an operator whose clientele and concept align well with our ski resort’s target audience,” said Jouni Palosaari, CEO of Levi Ski Resort.

The total investment is estimated at over €60 million, making it one of the most significant tourism and service developments in the history of Lapland tourism. Construction is due to start in spring 2027, with completion expected no later than spring 2029.

The new hotel and service complex in the Zero Point area will be ready by 2029.

During the 2025/26 winter season, Levi recorded a record 599,000 ski tickets-days (more than 2,000 lift-tickets per day in the season), while international visitor numbers rose significantly. Foreign customers accounted for 26 per cent of all lift pass sales over the season.

The hotel project is not an isolated development in Levi. Total investments in 2026 alone amount to €19.5 million, marking another record year for the resort.

Current development projects include a new chairlift on the southern slopes, as well as a new gondola lift and a forest trail. Once completed, the upgrades will give the resort two gondola lifts and two carpet lifts.


Located in Kirkenes, Norway, just a few kilometres from the borders to Russia and Finland, the Barents Observer is dedicated to cross-border journalism in Scandinavia, Russia and the wider Arctic.

As a non-profit stock company that is fully owned by its reporters, its editorial decisions are free of regional, national or private-sector influence. It has been a partner to ABJ and its predecessors since 2016.

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