The Foreign Ministry at the Travel Fair: Avoid unpleasant surprises while travelling by preparing in advance
Press Release 10/2015
14.1.2015
At the Travel Fair, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs campaigns on behalf of travel safety with the help of the three Ts: the Travel bulletin, the Travel notification and Travel insurance. Stand 6d131 at the Fair presents the travel safety-related services offered by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, including the new map service, “The world surprises(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window).” In addition, the stand has a passport exhibition as well as interviews of daily changing experts.
Through “The world surprises(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)” service, travellers can mark their own experiences of perceived safety and surprising events on the map, and can read the stories posted by others. In addition, the Foreign Ministry’s travel bulletins, Finland’s diplomatic missions abroad, as well as information on filing a travel notification can be found on the map. The map service questionnaire can be answered and the answers can be browsed on both mobile devices and the computer. A big touch screen will be located at the stand, to enable use of the map service.
In addition, the stand will display passports issued by Finnish diplomatic missions over the years. The oldest travel permits on display are from the year 1918, and the stories conveyed through the travel documents of individual people are related, in a fascinating way, to the broader historical picture.
Matkustusilmoitus.fi (Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)is a service maintained by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs where Finns travelling and living abroad can file their contact information for crisis situations. Those registering with the service or filing a travel notification during the Travel Fair, from 15 to 18 January 2015, will be entered for a raffle awarding ten copies of the new Madventures book, Maailmanselitys – seikkailijan käsikirja kaikkeen.
During the Travel Fair, there will also be a daily Twitter hour, when experts from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs will respond in real time to citizens’ questions about the Ministry’s services and mission. Questions can be sent to #KysyUM (#FrågaUM).
Programme of the Travel Fair stand:
Thursday 15 January
11.15–11.45 Minister for European Affairs and Foreign Trade Lenita Toivakka. The importance of travel to Finland’s economy.
12.00–13.00 Kim Kuivalainen, Unit for Passports and Visas, Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The passport and other travel documents.
12.00-13.00 Twitter hour. Ask about passports and other travel documents.
Friday, 16 January
10.00–11.00 Minister for International Development Sirpa Paatero. Sustainable travel.
11.30–12.30 Ambassador Tiina Jortikka-Laitinen. The work against Ebola.
11.30-12.30 Twitter hour. Ask about Ebola.
Saturday, 17 Jamuary
13.00–14.00 Tiina Myllyntausta, Head of Protocol, Ministry for Foreign Affairs. When in Rome – etiquette for travellers.
13.00–14.00 Twitter hour. Ask about the traveller’s etiquette.
15.00–16.00 Teemu Turunen, Head of the Unit for Consular Services. Ten years since the tsunami – crisis preparedness at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.
Sunday, 18 January
14.00–15.00 Crisis and assistance team leader Jussi Tanner. Finland’s diplomatic missions abroad as the traveller’s aid.
14.00–15.00 Twitter hour. Ask about the assistance to travellers given by the diplomatic missions.
Additional information and requests for interviews: Content and Communications Specialist Ritva Kettunen, tel. +358 295 351 049, Communications Officer Danica Vihinen, tel. +358 295 351 769.