Finnish Dinner Date is giving 16 international singles an opportunity to explore Finland on an all-expenses-paid four-day holiday in February 2027, combining culinary experiences, sightseeing, cultural activities and a unique group blind-dating event.
The initiative, organised by Visit Finland, the country’s national tourism organisation, is part of a campaign to introduce international visitors to Finnish food culture while promoting the country as an attractive destination for international travellers.
Under the programme, eight participants will experience Helsinki and another eight will visit Tampere, in Finland’s Lakeland region. Each group will enjoy a specially organised dinner featuring one of Finland’s official regional tasting menus, alongside opportunities to meet local Finnish singles.
The experiences will take place between February 9 and 19, 2027, with successful applicants receiving a fully hosted four-day trip.
Finnish Dinner Date Takes Singles to Helsinki and Tampere
The Finnish Dinner Date campaign offers more than an ordinary holiday. It brings together international travel, regional cuisine and opportunities for people to establish new connections.
According to Visit Finland, the 16 selected participants will be divided into two groups of eight, with one group assigned to Helsinki and the other to Tampere.
However, applicants will not be allowed to choose their preferred destination. Visit Finland says the location will be revealed after successful participants confirm their selection, making the destination part of the surprise.
The main attraction will be a relaxed group dinner where the international visitors will be joined by two local Finnish singles at each location.
Rather than organising individual dates, the tourism board is creating an environment where participants can enjoy food, conversations and shared experiences.
The four-day itinerary will also include hosted activities and dining experiences designed to introduce visitors to the character and traditions of their assigned region.
Finnish Cuisine Takes Centre Stage
Beyond the dating experience, the campaign has a strong culinary focus.
Visit Finland wants to introduce international audiences to a side of the country that receives less global attention: its traditional food and regional cooking.
The tourism organisation previously invited people across Finland to identify dishes that best represent their regions. Renowned Finnish chefs subsequently used these contributions to develop four official regional tasting menus.
Two of those menus have already featured in earlier culinary trips. The remaining two will take centre stage during the February 2027 experiences.
The Helsinki region’s menu has been developed by chef Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy, while the Lakeland menu was created by Henry Tikkanen, restaurateur of Gösta and a former representative of Finland at the Bocuse d’Or competition.
Finnish cuisine is strongly influenced by the country’s natural environment and changing seasons.
Wild fish, game, berries, mushrooms and locally sourced ingredients are important elements of its food culture. The emphasis is on seasonal produce, simplicity and flavours connected to the surrounding landscape.
Explaining the thinking behind the campaign, Heli Jimenez, Senior Director of International Marketing at Business Finland, said:
“Food brings Finns together, and now we are inviting travellers to join us in a truly one-of-a-kind way.”
Her statement reflects the campaign’s central idea: introducing visitors to Finland through the experience of sharing a meal.
Inspiration Behind Finland’s Unusual Dating Campaign
The Finnish Dinner Date initiative also draws inspiration from a social phenomenon known as Sinkkukori, which translates to ‘single basket’.
The trend involves pink shopping baskets used in some Finnish grocery stores as a playful signal that someone is single and potentially open to meeting new people.
The idea offers shoppers a light-hearted way to communicate their relationship status without necessarily approaching strangers directly.
Visit Finland has taken that concept beyond supermarkets, transforming it into an international tourism experience centred on food, social interaction and regional discovery.
The campaign forms part of the country’s wider Have Some Finnish food promotion, which aims to introduce international visitors to Finnish culinary traditions and encourage them to explore destinations beyond the country’s familiar tourism attractions.
How to Apply for the Finnish Dinner Date
Applications are open to interested international singles through Visit Finland’s official campaign website.
The application process requires candidates to complete two steps.
First, applicants must record a short video in English answering the question: “What would you serve on a dinner date, and why?“
The video must be published on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube using the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tagging Visit Finland‘s official accounts.
Applicants posting on Instagram or TikTok must ensure their profiles are public so the organisers can view their submissions. Those using YouTube can publish their videos publicly or as unlisted videos.
After completing the video challenge, candidates must fill out the official application form and include a link to their submission.
The application deadline is Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 11:59 a.m. Finnish time (EET).
Visit Finland will contact successful applicants individually, while the public announcement of the selected participants is scheduled for December 1, 2026, through its Instagram and TikTok channels.
Official application information: Visit Finland’s Finnish Dinner Date campaign website.
What Selected Participants Will Receive
The 16 successful applicants will receive an all-expenses-paid, four-day experience in Finland.
The package includes a hosted itinerary featuring dining and activities, culminating in the regional tasting dinner with other international participants and local Finnish singles.
The initiative gives selected visitors an opportunity to experience two distinct Finnish destinations while discovering the country’s food traditions and meeting people from different backgrounds.
Although the campaign offers opportunities for romantic connections, finding a partner is not guaranteed. Its wider purpose is to create an enjoyable introduction to Finnish cuisine, culture and tourism.
With only 16 international places available, the Finnish Dinner Date is an unusual addition to Finland’s efforts to attract visitors through experiences that combine local traditions with social interaction.
