Once you have moved to Imatra, you become strongly attached to the city

According to both current residents and potential migrants, Imatra's strengths are the environment and the cheapness of living.

This is how you could summarize the results of the Vetovoima&Vaikutus survey commissioned by T-media Oy, commissioned by the city. The company has extensively researched the attractiveness of several Finnish cities.

203 potential residents and 102 Imatra residents commented on Imatra in the survey.

The spontaneous images of Imatra were familiar: koski, Vuoksi, Valtionhotelli, spa, small, great, Imatrankoski, Saimaa, border and nature.

Living in Imatra is affordable

In the opinion of potential migrants, the city's attractiveness is moderate. In the survey, they gave good grades to the comfort and safety of the city, nice people and the fact that living in Imatra is not too much for the wallet.

─ Research has already found that people who know Imatra have a generally positive image of the city, deputy city manager Kaisa Heino says.

The city's location and services were moderate according to the respondents, but the respondents' image of the region's vitality was weak.

─ Vitality is assessed, among other things, by changes in trade and services. The investigation was done at a bad time for the tourism industry. Before the corona, the ruble exchange rate was low and tourism operators reacted quickly. It can now be seen as empty business premises and an assumed decrease in people's movement, mayor Kai Roslakka ponders.

─ The most significant factor for increasing vitality in the longer term is that we would succeed in expanding active business activities in the region, especially in the fields of new technology and the sector of growth-oriented SMEs. Clearly, Imatra's strengths must also be invested in communication and marketing in the future, Heino continues.

Residents strongly committed

The people of Imatra like their hometown.

─ One could say that those who have settled in Imatra have an exceptionally strong commitment to the locality, senior advisor Kari Väisänen T-Media analyzes the result.

Residents give the regional attraction a good rating. They praise the city's cost structure, i.e. the cost of living and the environment, as excellent. The city's municipal services and the community also receive good grades.

Local residents also have a poor impression of the city's vitality.

For more information:

city ​​manager Kai Roslakka, tel. 020 617 2226, kai. garbageimatra.fi (kai[dot]roslakka[at]imatra[dot]fi)

deputy mayor Kaisa Heino, tel. 020 617 2206, kaisa. hayimatra.fi (kaisa[dot]heino[at]imatra[dot]fi) 

senior advisor Kari Väisänen / T-Media Oy, tel. 0400 138 767, kari.vaisanent-media.fi (kari[dot]vaisanen[at]t-media[dot]fi)