SINGAPORE, 23 June 2023: Finland introduces the world’s first phone-free tourist island – Ulko-Tammio island that encourages visitors to go off the grid for a stress-free holiday stay this summer.
Ulko-Tammio is located in the Eastern Gulf of Finland National Park, and the new guideline recommends visitors keep their phones in their pockets this summer. The aim is to encourage holidaymakers to switch off their smart devices, take a break from social media and enjoy nature. Ulko-Tammio is believed to be the world’s first phone-free tourist island.
The Eastern Gulf of Finland boasts beautiful islands and charming coastal villages characterised by nature, peace and the Baltic Sea.
“The island of Ulko-Tammio, which is located off the coast of Hamina, will be a phone-free area this summer. We want to urge holidaymakers to switch off their smart devices and to stop and genuinely enjoy the islands”, Visit Kotka-Hamina island tourism expert Mats Selin explains.
“We encourage visitors to voluntarily put their phones away and focus their senses on nature rather than their phones. This initiative could be implemented in other natural and recreational destinations, too”, says Parks & Wildlife Finland outdoor recreation and visitor management manager Joel Heino.
Interest in the Eastern Gulf of Finland is on the rise
The Eastern Gulf of Finland boasts a 30-nautical-mile-wide national park, where the island of Ulko-Tammio is located.
“The eastern side of the Gulf of Finland is home to a unique group of islands you won’t find elsewhere. According to our research, interest in the islands of the Eastern Gulf of Finland is also on the rise among Finnish tourists looking for a nearcation destination”, Selin explains.
The phone-free island of Ulko-Tammio
Considered one of the crown jewels of the Eastern Gulf of Finland, the island of Ulko-Tammio is located in the Eastern Gulf of Finland National Park, which is one of the 41 national parks in Finland. Ports at Kotka and Hamina have ferry and cruise links to the island. The island of Ulko-Tammio is less than 10 km from the Russian marine border and a 30 km sail from the Finnish port of Hamina.
