TUI has cancelled the first two trips to its newly launched ‘alternative Lapland’ destination, Arctic Lakeland, because there is currently no snow.
The operator added three- and four-night Arctic Lakeland Santa packages in Finland, with direct flights to Kajaani from Manchester Airport for December 2025 as a ‘unique Christmas experience at a lower price point’ for this year, with packages going on sale in March.
However, the area where TUI’s Arctic Lakeland programme is based is 350km south of Finnish Lapland and the weather is milder, with temperatures currently hovering around 1°C. Earlier this week, rather than snowing, it was raining.
Passengers due to travel on the first trip, on Wednesday 3 December, received an email from TUI in the week leading up to their departure to say the team was monitoring the weather. They were then told, 48 hours before they were due to fly, that the trip was cancelled.
TUI said it had ‘carefully monitored’ the forecast and there was insufficient snow, as well as ‘rain forecast over the next 48 hours’.
One customer said that, as no other TUI Lapland holidays were available, they received a refund. Another said: “TUI sent me an email on Thursday (27 November) saying they are monitoring the weather as there is a possibility for no snow. They then sent me an email today lunch time [1 December] stating they cancelled and offering a full refund, change of location or change the date. I was lucky and got another holiday on the same date to Levi.”
Passengers due to travel on the second Arctic Lakeland trip, on Sunday 7 December, were told on Friday afternoon (5 December) that their trip is also cancelled.
In a message, TUI told affected customers: “We have continued to carefully monitor the weather forecast ahead of your trip, and we’re sorry to advise that there is insufficient snow for us to deliver all your Arctic Lakeland experience.
“Due to the lack of snow in destination we are not confident we will be able to deliver the holiday you have paid for and deserve. It is currently very uncertain as to whether there will be adequate snowfall over the next couple of days to allow for the full Arctic Lakeland experience.
“Therefore, we have made the very difficult decision to cancel your holiday. We can assure you this is not a decision we make lightly.
“We appreciate that Arctic Lakeland visits are a once in a lifetime trip.
“Once again, we’re so sorry we’ve had to make this difficult decision, we realise how much these trips mean at this time of year – thank you for your patience and understanding.”
TUI told customers they could rebook for this winter or next season at no extra cost on a like-for-like holiday, rebook on another TUI holiday or cancel and get a full refund.
TUI added: “As a gesture of goodwill, you will also receive a £100 per person TUI holiday voucher off a future holiday.”
There had already been concerns among customers, as well as Finns living in the area, that TUI’s new Lapland alternative would cause confusion because trips were listed within TUI’s Lapland programme on its website. One person said: “I kept reading Arctic Lapland, instead of Arctic Lakeland.”
Several agents previously told Travel Gossip they wouldn’t sell Arctic Lakeland because they didn’t think it offered the ‘full’ Lapland experience. However, others said it was a cost-effective option and they were happy selling it as long as clients understood it wasn’t the ‘real’ Lapland.
Lapland specialist Ashleigh Elliott, who had two sets of customers due to fly out to Arctic Lakeland on the now-cancelled Sunday flight, said she had managed to find an alternative option for both, with one getting a better deal than the original TUI package.
Ashleigh, who runs Travel Dreams by Ashleigh & Co, said she doesn’t book customers before 7 December in ‘more southern’ Lapland resorts because of the risk of little or no snow, but said: “It looks like we may need to go a week later from now on for southern resorts.”
Travel Gossip has asked TUI for a comment.
