The latest news and devlopments for the upcoming winter season in Finnish Lapland including the expansion of Finland's largest ski resort, increased airlift over the winter months, new glass roof igloos and new tour operator product.

Airline news
New Finnish airline offers more direct flights from London Gatwick to Lapland
New Finnish airline, Snowbird, will expand the options for direct flights from London Gatwick to Lapland this winter with two direct flights a week between London Gatwick and Enontekio from 25 November 2014 – 25 April 2015. The flights will operate on Saturdays and Tuesdays and return flights cost from £285. www.snowbird.fi

Northern lights news
15 new Arctic Glass Igloos
New for winter 2014/15 and opening on 1 December are 15 glass roof igloos in a rural area near the Arctic Circle. Designed for overnight stays the 20m² glass roof igloos provide guests with the optimum viewing platform for watching the northern lights whilst in the comfort of a warm igloo. The spacious igloos are completely insulated with thermal glass rooves and heated floors. Each igloo has twin beds, a bathroom and the option for breakfast to be served in the igloo.

The igloos are located in a wooded area 26 kilometres from the capital of Finnish Lapland, Rovaniemi and are part of Finland's Arctic Snow Hotel. Whilst staying in the igloos guests will have access to the hotel's facilities with three restaurants, including an ice restaurant, saunas, an outdoor Jacuzzi and hot tub as well as activities from snowshoe hiking to ice fishing and ice sculpting. 

Overnight stays in the igloos cost from £373 per night from 1 December 2014- 5 January 2015 and from £306 per night from 6 January- 31 March 2015. Prices include breakfast. www.arcticsnowhotel.fi

New Aurora Adventure Break from Discover the World
Discover The World is introducing an Aurora Adventure Break with an overnight stay in the brand new Aurora Hide. Located in the rural Urho Kekkonen National Park on the north-eastern Finland border and part of the traditional wooden Muotka Wilderness Lodge, the comfortable and fully insulted hide has a large north facing heated window to give an uninterrupted view of the northern lights and double bed to watch the natural spectacle from. Activities on the trip include learning how to lasso a reindeer with a local herder, reindeer and husky sledging, a snowmobile safari and aurora hunting on snowshoes. The trip is available for three, four or six night stays between November 2014 and April 2015. The trip costs from £1,236 per person including return flights to Ivalo, full board accommodation, activities and transfers. Full details: http://bit.ly/1ouL3nY

Ski news
Levi ski resort undergoes major expansion
Finland's largest ski resort, Levi, is undergoing a major expansion ahead of the 2014/2015 ski season with a new 'Levi South' area.  The new area will open in December 2014 and will significantly increase the size of the ski area and services on offer. A new six seater chair lift with seat heating and a wind resistant bubble is being built with the capacity for 3,000 additional skiers an hour. There will also be a new ski pass office, rental and ski service shop, ski school and play area for children.  The existing restaurant, Sivakka, is being enlarged to seat 60 further guests.

Levi has 45 downhill slopes and 26 lifts with the longest piste being 2.5km. Many of the slopes are lit until 7pm during the darker winter months and cross country skiing is popular with hundreds of kilometres of trails. www.levi.fi/en/home.html

Crystal Ski to operate direct flights from Manchester to Kussamo
Crystal Ski will offer skiers in the north-west UK improved access to Finnish Lapland's ski resorts this winter with direct flights from Manchester to Kussamo in north-eastern Finland. The new weekly charter service will run from 21 December 2014 to 15 February 2015 offering direct access to the resorts of Ruka, Iso-Syote and Salla.

Salla, which is new to the Crystal Ski portfolio is ideal for beginner skiers as there are just 15 pistes and the hotels and cabins are a five minute walk from the ski area. There are also plenty of non-ski activities for those who don't want to ski all day including a northern lights reindeer safari and a snowmobile excursion to the Russian border. Accommodation is predominantly in cosy wooden cabins, which are nestled into forests surrounding the ski slopes. Seven night holidays cost from £429 per person including accommodation (based on four sharing) at the Sallainen Cabins with flights from Manchester and transfers.

Ruka, only 25 minutes north of Kuusamo airport, has just been voted Finnish Ski Resort of the Year by the Finnish Skiing Association. The attractive resort centre is at the base of the ski slopes and there is a popular ski school offering kids activities in addition to ski and snowboard lessons. Seven night holidays cost from £409 per person including accommodation at the three-star Ruka Suites (based on four sharing) with flights from Manchester and transfers.

Iso-Syöte, south of Kuusamo is a small ski resort, 150km south of the Arctic Circle. Seven night holidays cost from £525 at the Iso-Syöte Cabins (based on four sharing) including breakfast, flights from Manchester and transfers. www.crystalski.co.uk

Ski Lapland adds apartments in Levi
Specialist operator Ski Lapland has added new modern apartments in Levi. These one, two and three bedroom apartments are located in the heart of the resort just 50 metres from the ski centre and lifts. A seven night stay in the apartments cost from £618 per person including flights, transfers and self-catered accommodation. 

Ski Lapland is also offering a discount of £138 per person on its seven night Levi holidays departing from 11 January until the end of April. Packges start from £830 per person in January including return flights, accommodation in a studio apartment, ski equipment and ski passes. www.ski-lapland.co.uk

Inghams offers incredible value ski/ snowboard packages for £159
This winter Inghams is offering top value ski/snowboard packages for £159 in the ski resort of Saariselkä which includes five days at ski school, five days ski/ snowboard hire and a five day lift pass. Saariselkä offers spectacular Arctic scenery, exhilarating outdoor activities and is the perfect resort for first time skiers who will love the gentle, quiet beginner slopes and friendly English speaking instructors. Inghams offers seven night stays at the 4* Holiday Club Spa hotel on a half board basis from £674 per person, including return flights from Gatwick to Kittilä and resort transfers. www.inghams.co.uk

Ski for free with Inghams
Inghams is offering the first 20 beginner bookings departing 11 January – 8 February  2015 to Levi and Ylläs a free learn to ski/snowboard package worth £225. This includes seven days equipment hire, five days ski school and a seven day lift pass. Stay at the 4* Levitunturi Spa Hotel with Inghams, with prices starting from £764 per person, based on a half board basis and includes flights from Gatwick to Kittilä and resort transfers. www.inghams.co.uk

Tour operator news
New seven night Husky Adventure with Discover The World
Discover The World is offering a new seven night Husky Adventure based at the Saija Lodge in southern Lapland. The traditional wooden lodge is located in a rural area surrounded by frozen lakes, pristine snowy forests and open plains and is built in the traditional rustic style and has its own husky farm. The farm has over 100 huskies and guests are taught how to look after their own team of six huskies and how to control a husky sleigh over frozen lakes and through forests. Throughout the week, there will be various husky safaris (approx 25-30km) with an overnight safari staying at a wilderness cabin. This will give guests the chance to settle huskies down for the night and feed them.

The trip costs from £1,436 per person (based on two sharing) including return flights to Kuusamo, return transfers, full board accommodation and activities. Trip is available from December 2014- April 2015. Full details: http://bit.ly/1v8oe9D

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For further information on Lapland please visit www.onlyinlapland.com.

For press enquiries contact Jules Ugo or Amelia Astley Birtwistle at Lotus UK on firstname@lotus-uk.co.uk or call 0207 953 7470.