Tamhockey CEO Ari Penttilä named Visit Tampere board chair

Visit Tampere announced that Ari Penttilä will become chair of its board, effective 18 May 2026. He succeeds Ville Virkki.

Penttilä is currently CEO of Tamhockey Oy, the company behind Tappara. He previously served for many years as CEO of Matkapojat Oy. Jari Ahjoharju, Visit Tampere’s CEO, welcomed the appointment and thanked Virkki for his service. “We warmly welcome Ari Penttilä. His strong background in tourism provides an excellent basis for developing Tampere’s tourism and we look forward to working together,” Ahjoharju said.

The appointment comes as Tampere pushes its international profile — known globally as the world’s sauna capital, ranked highly in the Global Destination Sustainability Index and recognised as a European Capital of Smart Tourism. Officials have also promoted recent Moomin-focused tourism development as part of the city’s broader strategy.

Penttilä said Tampere’s tourism has grown strongly in recent years, reflecting Visit Tampere’s strategy and cooperation between local actors. “Continuing this positive development requires joint work, bold initiatives and the ability to renew in a changing operating environment,” he said, adding that internationalisation will be key to attracting more visitors, conferences and events.

The board from 18 May 2026 comprises Ari Penttilä (chair, Tamhockey Oy), Taija Holm (ProPromotion Oy), Tuila Jaatinen (City of Tampere), Aleksi Murtojärvi (City of Tampere) and Juhana Suoniemi (City of Tampere).