Finland has often been considered as the promised land of second homes and it continues to be so. Over time, second homes have not only increased in quantity, but also changed in terms of quality and the composition of their owners. Today, there are half a million second homes that are ever more often equipped with modern conveniences. Second homes, however, are no longer the sole destinations for leisure consumption outside of one’s permanent home. Instead, the concept of multiple dwelling better describes the reality of Finnish leisure and second home tourism.

What do we know of the practices and motives of multiple dwelling of different groups of people? How does multiple dwelling impact on local communities and housing structures? What are the environmental impacts of second homes and how do the impacts compare with other types of tourism? How are multiple dwellers and second homes taken into account in rural municipalities? This report summarises the results of national surveys targeted on Finnish citizens and municipalities and providing valuable insights that will help to answer these questions.