Finland has become the latest European country to sharpen its focus on visitors from the United Arab Emirates, joining Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Italy and several other EU states in targeting the fast-growing outbound market from the Gulf. The shift comes just as Emirates accelerates the rollout of its budget-friendly Premium Economy cabin and deploys new Airbus A350 aircraft across Europe, reshaping how UAE-based travelers access both classic and emerging destinations on the continent.

Finland Steps Up Courtship of UAE Travelers

In Nordic Europe, Finland has moved from being a niche choice for UAE residents to an increasingly visible contender, helped by coordinated tourism promotion and smoother connectivity through European and Gulf hubs. Finnish tourism authorities and regional partners have been ramping up campaigns in the Gulf Cooperation Council region, promoting summer lakeside retreats, winter aurora safaris, and family-friendly city breaks in Helsinki, Rovaniemi and beyond, all with Arabic-language content and tailored offers for Middle Eastern visitors.

The timing is strategic. Outbound travel from the UAE has rebounded strongly, and European Commission data show a sharp rise in short-stay visa demand for Schengen destinations in 2024, with overall applications climbing more than 13 percent year-on-year. While processing bottlenecks and peak-season backlogs remain a concern for some consulates, the trajectory is clear: Europe is back on the wish list for UAE residents, and Finland is determined to secure a larger share of that demand.

Finland’s tourism pitch dovetails with a broader Northern European push aimed at higher-spending travelers who value space, nature and safety. From Lapland’s glass igloos to Helsinki’s design hotels, the country is positioning itself as a quieter alternative to Europe’s traditional mass-market hubs. With Emirates expanding its reach into Northern Europe via partner networks and new wide-body aircraft, industry observers say Finland’s decision to intensify marketing in the Gulf could pay dividends as more UAE residents look beyond the usual big capitals.

Schengen and EU States Compete Harder for UAE Market

Finland’s fresh focus comes against a backdrop of intensifying competition among European destinations for UAE visitors. Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark, Italy and the UK have all rolled out targeted tourism initiatives in recent seasons, from joint campaigns with Gulf carriers to roadshows in Dubai and Abu Dhabi promoting everything from alpine wellness retreats to short city breaks and film tourism.

EU and Schengen statistics highlight why this market matters. Consulates across the bloc recorded more than 11 million applications for short-stay visas in 2024, a robust sign of pent-up demand that is particularly strong in higher-income markets such as the Gulf. While visa processing delays during peak periods have prompted some UAE residents to reroute holidays to easier-entry destinations, many still view Europe as the gold standard for summer escapes, cultural trips and multi-country itineraries.

Destination marketing organizations have responded by refining their message. Switzerland has emphasized nature, luxury shopping and medical tourism for Gulf visitors. Italy has pushed beyond Rome and Milan to highlight coastal and countryside stays, while Denmark and Ireland have been promoting city culture, festivals and cool-climate summers that appeal to families seeking to escape the Gulf heat. Finland’s entry into this more coordinated push suggests that smaller markets see an opportunity to gain ground while marquee destinations grapple with overtourism and capacity limits.

Emirates’ Premium Economy Reshapes the Mid-Market Segment

Overlaying these destination strategies is a major shift in how people fly between the UAE and Europe. Emirates, the region’s largest long-haul carrier, has been rapidly expanding its Premium Economy offering, pitching it as a budget-friendly upgrade for travelers who want extra comfort without the cost of business class. The airline has committed billions of dollars to retrofitting existing Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 jets and to bringing new aircraft into the fleet with the cabin installed from day one.

The Premium Economy cabin typically features wider seats, extra legroom, upgraded dining and enhanced inflight entertainment, targeting both leisure travelers willing to spend a little more on long flights and small-business customers unconvinced by the price of business class. Industry reports indicate that Emirates now offers Premium Economy to dozens of destinations, and that it plans to extend coverage to more than 80 routes by mid-2026, with Europe among the main beneficiaries.

For UAE residents booking holidays to Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark, Italy, the UK or Finland via Emirates and its partners, the cabin has quickly become a preferred middle ground. Travel agents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi report that families and couples are increasingly opting for Premium Economy on overnight flights to Europe, especially when promotional fares narrow the price gap to standard economy. This shift directly supports inbound tourism strategies in Europe by improving the overall travel experience without making trips prohibitively expensive.

Airbus A350 Brings New Comfort and Capacity to Europe Routes

The airline’s fleet renewal is another critical piece of the puzzle. Emirates took delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in late 2024, opening a new chapter for the Dubai-based carrier. The twin-engine wide-body, known for its fuel efficiency and lower emissions compared with older aircraft, has been configured in a three-class layout featuring Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins and seating more than 300 passengers.

From 2025 onward, Emirates has been rolling out A350 services on a growing list of routes. Early deployments focused on regional and West Asian destinations such as Bahrain, Kuwait and Mumbai, but the initial European roster quickly followed, with cities including Lyon, Bologna and Edinburgh added to the A350 network. Industry bulletins and airline statements outline plans to extend A350 flying to additional European points over the coming two years, as more aircraft join the fleet and Dubai’s aviation system pushes toward ambitious passenger growth targets.

For European tourism boards and local airports, the arrival of the A350 on Emirates routes means a step-change in capacity and product quality. The aircraft’s Premium Economy cabin delivers a consistent hard product across multiple destinations, while cost efficiencies give the airline room to price competitively. When combined with the airline’s already extensive use of the A380 into hubs such as London, Milan and Zurich, the A350 expansion cements a high-capacity, high-comfort bridge from Dubai to Europe that destinations like Finland are keen to capitalize on.

Within Europe, the UK remains one of Emirates’ flagship markets, and recent schedule changes underscore how strongly the carrier views demand on the corridor from Dubai. From early 2026, Emirates is boosting its London services with an additional Dubai to Gatwick frequency operated by an A350, bringing its total London flights to a dozen per day across Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. The extra capacity gives British tourism bodies and regional partners more opportunities to target affluent Gulf travelers looking for both city stays and onward connections across the UK.

Italy has emerged as another key focus for the A350 and Premium Economy rollout. Bologna, in northern Italy, was among the first European destinations slated for A350 service, an illustration of how Emirates is leveraging the aircraft to reach mid-sized airports that previously relied on Boeing 777 service. Tourism organizations in Italy have been increasingly active in the Gulf, promoting not just the traditional draw of Rome, Florence and Venice, but also lesser-known regions reachable via Emirates’ Italian gateways.

Switzerland and Ireland, though smaller in population, punch above their weight in terms of attractiveness for Gulf travelers. Zurich and Geneva offer a mix of alpine scenery and luxury retail that resonates with UAE visitors, while Dublin and other Irish destinations have been promoted as easy, English-speaking entry points into Europe, particularly for family holidays and self-drive itineraries. For these markets, enhanced long-haul connectivity via Dubai, backed by consistent Premium Economy and A350 service, is seen as a way to compete more effectively with the big continental hubs.

Denmark and Northern Europe Gain from Emirates’ Network

Denmark and its neighbors in Northern Europe sit at the crossroads of two powerful trends: a renewed appetite among Gulf residents for cooler-climate trips and the steady expansion of Emirates’ network and cabin product into the region. Copenhagen, already an established point on the airline’s map, has been earmarked for increased A350 and Premium Economy capacity, with additional frequencies planned as new aircraft join the fleet. Analysts say this will effectively double Premium Economy capacity on the route compared with earlier years.

Beyond Denmark, Emirates has been investing in broader Scandinavian coverage, highlighted by the deployment of the A350 with Premium Economy to Oslo. Norwegian tourism officials have welcomed the move as a vote of confidence in the region’s long-term potential for high-value tourism, particularly from markets like the UAE where travelers are drawn to outdoor experiences, clean air and distinctive design-led city life. The model may serve as a template for how Finland deepens its own direct and one-stop links with the Gulf.

For Finland specifically, the presence of multiple Northern European gateways served by Emirates and its partners makes it easier to build packages that combine several countries in one trip. UAE visitors can, for example, fly into Copenhagen or Oslo on Emirates, then connect onward to Helsinki, Lapland or other Finnish regions on regional carriers. Tourism authorities in Finland are increasingly leveraging that connectivity in their Gulf marketing, highlighting multi-country itineraries that take in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland in a single journey.

UAE Outbound Demand and Visa Reforms Drive Strategic Moves

At the core of these aviation and tourism shifts is the sustained growth of outbound travel from the UAE. Dubai International Airport has already surpassed 70 million passengers annually and is legislating for much more, supported by plans to develop the Dubai World Central mega-hub over the next decade. As disposable incomes rise and visa processes become more digitized, European destinations are working harder to tap into this expanding pool of travelers.

Visa processing remains a pain point in the relationship between UAE residents and Schengen countries, with peak-season backlogs in recent summers prompting some travelers to choose visa-on-arrival destinations instead. However, the planned rollout of a digital Schengen visa by 2026 is expected to simplify and speed up applications, an important development for countries like Finland, Denmark and Italy that are actively courting Gulf visitors and wish to avoid losing them at the paperwork stage.

European policymakers view tourism from the Gulf as not just a source of visitor numbers but a contributor to broader economic and trade ties. High-spending travelers from the UAE typically stay in upscale hotels, favor private tours and premium retail, and often extend trips by connecting to multiple countries in one journey. Aligning visa reforms, route development and on-the-ground tourism investment is therefore increasingly seen as essential to winning and retaining this audience in the face of fierce competition from Asia and the Indian Ocean region.

Premium Inflight Product Supports Long-Term Tourism Growth

As Finland joins Switzerland, Ireland, Denmark, the UK, Italy and other European partners in prioritizing inbound tourism from the UAE, the hard product in the sky is becoming as important as the soft welcome on the ground. Emirates’ decision to double down on Premium Economy across both its retrofitted fleet and new Airbus A350 deliveries is reshaping expectations about what a mid-priced ticket between Dubai and Europe should deliver.

For leisure travelers eyeing aurora safaris in Finnish Lapland, alpine escapes in Switzerland, coastal drives in Ireland or cultural weekends in Rome and London, the promise of a more comfortable cabin at a manageable price point can be a decisive factor in destination choice. For European tourism boards, that makes the UAE market not just a question of marketing spend, but also of airline coordination and route planning, as they seek to align promotional pushes with the rollout of new aircraft and cabin products.

Industry analysts forecast that as Emirates takes more A350s and completes its extensive retrofit program, Premium Economy will shift from a novelty on select flagship routes to a standard option on a large share of its European network. That, in turn, is expected to reinforce the appeal of Europe among UAE travelers at a time when global competition for tourists is intensifying. With Finland now firmly in the group of European countries actively courting this market, the stage is set for a new phase of cross-continental travel growth anchored by comfort, connectivity and carefully targeted promotion.