We have interviewed some 8th and 9th graders at our school about their trips abroad. Almost everyone has visited some foreign country. Only one hasn’t been to any country.

The most frequently visited countries are Sweden, Estonia, Norway and Russia. This is because these countries are closest to us. Especially boat trips to Sweden and Estonia are very popular. They are also quite cheap. On these trips tourists buy a lot of tax-free products.

Russia is a popular country too, because there people can buy cheap beer, cigarettes, pirated CDs and alcohol. Generally tourists visit Wiborg, because it is so close to the Finnish border.

The trips to our neighbouring countries are usually quite short, often so called day-trips. If the Finns travel for longer holidays, their favourite countries are Greece, Turkey and Spain, especially the Canary Islands. In the past ten years the Finns have also become interested in more exotic countries like Thailand.