Finnish Foreign Ministry services showcased at Travel 2004 Fair

Press release 9/2004
14 January, 2004


Travel safety services provided by the Finnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs are this week showcased at the annual Travel Fair at the Helsinki Fair Centre.

It is in the interests of Finnish foreign office to promote safe travel and to prevent damages, human or material, by providing information with regard to travel safety, by organising consular services and by safeguarding its citizens in case of a foreign crisis. Services are provided by the ministry in Helsinki and the network of foreign missions, covering more than 90 embassies, consulates and other offices in all parts of the world. Annually Finns take more than 6,5 million journeys abroad and about 2 000 of them will end up requiring the assistance of the Finnish missions and their consular personnel.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs has compiled a separate travel information section on its website. The site, currently offered in Finnish and Swedish, provides information on travelling in general, on passport and visa regulations and on consular services available abroad. Also, detailed travel information on individual destinations from 140 countries can be browsed. The objective is to provide information which will help travellers better plan their journeys and to avoid risky destinations.

Travel 2004 Fair will open for the travel business professionals on Thursday, 15 January, and for the public on Friday, 15 January, at 14.00.

The Foreign Ministry stand is located at 6n38.

Further information: Raija Leppäjärvi, Head of Unit for Web Communications, tel. +358 9 160 55991, Pekka Hyvönen, Head of Unit for Consular Issues, tel. +358 9 160 55739, and Tiina Nikkinen, Press Secretary, tel. +358 9 160 55992