Location: Finland
Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some guidance from people familiar with Finland’s system.
I participated in tourism campaigns organized by Visit Finland (“Masterclass of Happiness” and “Helsinki Happiness Hacks”), which were presented as open international opportunities.
However, during and after the process, I found the selection process unclear:
- The selection criteria were not clearly defined
- Requests for clarification were not directly answered
- The official explanation relied on “selection at sole discretion” without further detail
From a participant’s perspective, this creates a situation where it appears open and equal, but selections may in practice depend on factors that are not disclosed (such as target market alignment or branding considerations).
I tried to address this through several official channels:
- Contacted Visit Finland → no further clarification, case closed
- Submitted a report via Business Finland → no misconduct identified
- Escalated to the Parliamentary Ombudsman → transferred
- Referred to the Chancellor of Justice → not investigated, as it was considered a marketing activity outside their jurisdiction
At this point, I’m trying to understand what options (if any) remain.
- Is there any authority in Finland that deals with transparency or fairness in publicly funded promotional campaigns?
- Would this fall under consumer protection, or is it simply considered marketing with full discretion?
- Is it generally accepted practice for these kinds of campaigns to operate this way?
I also have documentation related to my experience.
Would it be appropriate (and legally safe) in Finland to share such materials publicly, for example to raise awareness or discuss transparency in these types of campaigns?
I want to make sure I approach this responsibly and in line with local expectations.
Thank you for any guidance.