Visit to Santa Claus Holiday Village -

Visit to Santa Claus Holiday Village  

The distinguished delegation connected to the Nordic–Africa Business Summit and the Legacy Awards initiative made a memorable and historic visit to the Santa Claus Holiday Village in Rovaniemi, Lapland, marking a unique cultural, literary, and tourism engagement in Finland’s most iconic Arctic destination.

The visit formed part of a broader programme focused on tourism development, cultural diplomacy, creative industries, investment opportunities, and international collaboration between Finland and Africa. Hosted under the coordination of  Ceci Educare Oy and led by Cecilia Naadensua Quarshie, the delegation experienced one of the world’s most celebrated tourism landmarks.

A defining moment of the visit was the symbolic meeting with the original Santa Claus, a globally recognised figure representing peace, generosity, joy, and cultural unity. The encounter reflected Rovaniemi’s unique identity as the official hometown of Santa Claus and one of the most visited winter tourism destinations in the world.

A special highlight of the engagement was the literary presentation by Her Royal Highness Olori Ameenat Adeleye Matemilola, who presented and officially awarded a copy of her Santa Claus novel to the original Santa Claus. This historic gesture marked a cultural milestone, as Olori Ameenat Adeleye Matemilola is recognised as the first African writer to publish a book inspired by the real Santa Claus story, contributing a unique African literary perspective to a globally beloved narrative.

The Santa Claus Holiday Village, known for its international appeal and world-class tourism infrastructure, provided the delegation with valuable insight into Finland’s strong creative tourism economy, destination branding strategy, and sustainable hospitality model. The visit showcased how storytelling, culture, and experience-based tourism can build powerful global connections.

Further discussions and observations during the visit highlighted opportunities for cross-cultural tourism exchange, creative industry collaboration, diaspora engagement in travel markets, and SME participation in tourism-related ventures. The delegation also explored how similar cultural storytelling and literary tourism initiatives could be developed across Africa to strengthen global cultural exchange.

The visit concluded as a meaningful milestone in the delegation’s Finland programme, reinforcing the role of tourism, literature, and cultural diplomacy as bridges between Africa and the Nordic region, while opening new pathways for international cooperation, investment, and creative partnerships.