Christopher Scicluna discovers a new link to Helsinki could be the catalyst for a boost in Asian visitors to Malta – and islanders heading north themselves
What is the shortest distance between Malta and Asia?
You will be forgiven for thinking it is a straight line east.
It is actually shorter to head north, through Helsinki and over the North Pole.
Finnair, Finland’s legacy carrier, has just started twice-weekly flights between Helsinki and Malta as part of a network of services aimed at tapping the growing Asia-Europe market — what it calls the ‘New Silk Road’.
Company officials told Maltese journalists last week that the route cuts flying time between Malta and northeast Asia by up to two-and-a-half hours.
Long-haul traffic is at the core of the airline’s operations and most of its schedules are timed to facilitate smooth transit in the dedicated terminal building in Helsinki.
Indeed, the airline prides itself on having the fastest transit times in the world — as short as 35 minutes — and punctuality levels that are the envy of other airlines.
Last year, Finnair carried 9.5 million passengers to more than 60 European and 13 Asian destinations.
The airline, a member of the One World Alliance, has 79 Airbus planes — from the long-haul A340 to the A320 family for European services and 29 smaller aircraft for regional links.
It has a further 19 Airbus A350 long-haul aircraft on order.
The Far East long-haul non-stop routes from Helsinki include Beijing, Tokyo, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Osaka, Shanghai, New Delhi and Seoul.
Services from Malta, which continue till October, are flown on Mondays and Thursdays.
Take-up has been very good. It is currently made up mostly by Finnish package tour operators, but Petri Vuori, vice-president, sales, reported that there has been significant interest from China and especially Japan.
“This year was too late, but expect quite a number of Japanese tourists next year,” he said.
“Japanese and Chinese tourists are not so much interested in the beaches, but they are very interested in history and culture, and Malta has a lot to offer in those areas.”
Helsinki is the only Western capital that still has a statue of Lenin – since he granted independence to Finland – and its most elegant square is a ‘twin’ to St Petersberg
The interest generated so far has already convinced Finnair management to add a third flight to Malta so that, from April, services will be operated on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.
There are currently no plans for a winter service.
This is something which Malta’s ambassador to Helsinki, Michael Zammit Tabona, said he will continue to work for, in association with Malta International Airport.
The benefits, he explained, are not only the increased connections to the Far East, but the potential traffic between Scandinavia and Malta itself.
Hundreds of young Scandinavians now live in Malta, having found employment here with gaming companies, and yet the region continues to be badly served by air, especially in winter.
Better access could encourage Finns to come to Malta for short breaks during the winter, when the sun hardly rises in Finland, and more Maltese may be enticed to visit Helsinki and from there hop up to Lapland in the Arctic Circle.
Helsinki, the European Union’s northernmost capital city, is an ideal destination for a short, relaxing break.
Located in southern Finland, it has a comfortable summer climate but freezes over for most winters, although efficient transport systems ensure activity does not stop.
Its history and development were dictated by its coastal location surrounded by some 300 islands, which you can actually walk to when the sea is frozen.
King Gustavus Vasa of Sweden founded Helsinki in 1550 to rival Reval (now Tallinn) – which is two hours away by ferry.
In 1808, the town was incorporated in the Russian autonomous Grand Duchy of Finland and became the capital of newly independent Finland in 1917.
Helsinki is by and large a modern city and its most important throwback to the past is the Suomenlinna island fortress, a 20-minute ferry ride from scenic Market Square.
Suomenlinna was built by the Swedes and the Russians fortified it further when they took over after the Russo-Swedish war.
They held on to it until Finland was granted independence.
Thousands died there in the short but bloody civil war that followed.
Deer hunting is popular and seen as necessary to control the population. Finland has the largest forested area in Europe and hunting tours are an industry
Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, Suomenlinna is a fine example of military architecture, with thick bastions, tunnels, cannon from different periods and a submarine that sank a Russian warship in World War II and is now open for visits, giving a feel of the clausophobic life beneath the waves.
The Swedish and Russian occupations have left a major imprint on Finland’s history and culture.
Helsinki is the only Western capital that still has a statue of Lenin – since he granted independence to the country.
Its most elegant square, Senate Square, is a ‘twin’ to St Petersburg in that its three dominating buildings — the Lutheran Cathedral, the government building and the seat of the university — were designed by Carl Ludwig Engel, chief architect of the City of the Tsars. A statue of Tsar Alexander I, who made Helsinki the capital of Finland in 1812, sits in the centre.
At the heart of Helsinki is the leafy Esplanade, the perfect blend for shopping and relaxation.
All the major brands and chains are there, and hundreds of shops are interspersed with a variety of restaurants and bars.
Fish, particularly salmon and herring, appear on the typical restaurant menu, as well as deer, moose and bear. Deer hunting is popular and is seen as necessary to control the population. Finland has the largest forested area in Europe and hunting tours are an industry.
The Market Square at the eastern end of the Esplanade on the harbour is a popular stop. Market stalls, set up all week, sell Finnish foods, flowers, and souvenirs.
This is also the departure point for convenient day trips by ferry to Tallinn for the old-town feel that Helsinki lacks – as well as for Suomenlinna and the many other islands dotting Helsinki’s coast and which provide a range of tourist attractions in summer.
Icebreakers ensure that the harbour and links to Tallinn are kept open in winter.
Attractions within Helsinki are within easy reach, including the National Museum of Art, known as the Ateneum, housed in an impressive Neoclassical building off Helsinki’s Station Square.
Close by is Finlandia Hall, a concert and convention hall built in 1971 with a white facade of Carrara marble. This was the venue of the 1975 Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe which Malta held up – to the exasperation of the major powers – until a reference to security in the Mediterranean was included in the final document.
One of the most recent attractions is Lapland in Helsinki, a must-see for Maltese travellers in summer if they do not have the time to go to Lapland proper.
Visitors, suitably clad in the warm winterwear provided on site, can visit igloos, try a toboggan ride, kick-sledding, skiing or go on an ubiquitius ride with the huskies, all inside a giant sports hall kept at -3C.
They can admire the ice sculptures or chill out (literally) at the ice bar. (http://winterworld.fi)
Those with time on their hands can take tours just outside Helsinki to admire nature.
Sports enthusiasts can try various facilities still in use from the 1952 Summer Olympics, including the Rowing Stadium offering kayak and canoe rentals on the sandy beach of Hietaniemi. Finally, relax in the public sauna and think of your next visit.