Visit Finland opens applications for fully funded dinner date trips

A seat across from a stranger in northern Europe awaits sixteen individuals chosen for a newly launched tourism campaign.

Global Applications Open for Fully Funded Trips

Visit Finland has opened global applications for “Finnish Dinner Date,” a program offering four-day, three-night trips designed to match international travelers with local residents over traditional meals.

The agency will pay for round-trip airfare, accommodation, and all scheduled meals during the program, which runs in two separate groups between February 9 and February 19, 2027.

Destinations Kept Secret Until Selection

Applicants will not know their specific destination until they receive notification of their selection.

Half of the participants will travel to the capital city of Helsinki, while the remaining eight will visit the lake district city of Tampere. Each four-day itinerary features a collective blind dinner date where two local residents join eight international travelers to sample regional cuisine.

Social Media Video Submission Requirements

The application process requires candidates to record an English-language video answering a specific question about what they would prepare for a dinner date and why.

Participants must upload the footage to Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, attach the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate, and tag the official Visit Finland account. Submissions close on November 10, 2026, at 5:59 p.m. Hong Kong time, with winners announced on December 1, 2026.

Finland Launches Campaign Targeting Single People Seeking Romance

The campaign targets individuals who value personal space and quietude, contrasting Finland’s famously reserved social culture with an official effort to facilitate cross-border romance.

While the initiative requires all participants to communicate in English and verify their single status, organizers acknowledged in reports that they rely primarily on the honesty of applicants since absolute verification of relationship status remains impractical.