Flowpark is an ecological adventure park chain where participants can test their courage and enjoy unforgettable experiences with their friends or colleagues. The company currently has six parks across Finland, located in Turku, Tampere, Hämeenlinna, Ähtäri, Vierumäki and Åland. The different adventure tracks are built on living trees without harming them, offering a unique and environmentally friendly challenge.
Flowpark’s CEO and self-titled King of Monkeys, Janne Kalhama, is an architect by training.
”My training really helps in this job. We have six parks in Finland, and we not only design them ourselves but also build them. There are a lot of unique features in our tracks, which allow us to be very creative. We aim to make improvements every year, so it’s never the same when you come back next year.”
Customers of all ages climb or lift themselves to a height of up to 20 meters and tackle various challenges, including swaying paths, liana jumps, swings, and cable slides.
”The oldest customers have been around 80-90 years old, and we also have easier tracks for kids as young as two years old,” Kalhama says.
Team-building Experience
The parks are open to the public from May Day to the fall holidays in October, but events take place year-round.
”We welcome groups year-round and offer a wide range of activities to suit their needs. The possibilities are endless – for example, we have previously had food trucks and live DJs at our events. Our adventure tracks range from easy to difficult, and it’s an excellent team-building experience when you’re up in a tree with colleagues. There’s always excitement and a sense of accomplishment when you overcome the different tracks together,” Kalhama describes.
”We have gear for 300 people, so we can serve quite large groups. We divide people into smaller groups, and after safety instructions, they can go through our 21 tracks up in the trees.”
Expansion in the Horizon
The idea for Flowpark was first thought of by Janne Kalhama in 2007, and the first park opened in Turku in May 2010. It is the largest in size and comparable to Flowpark in Tampere in visitor flows, attracting 20,000 customers annually. When Flowpark opened, the idea was completely new in Finland.
”We still train, inspect, and do maintenance for our competitors in Finland,” Kalhama says.
”There are certain standards that we follow. Flowpark is authorized by Tukes, the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency, to do official inspections. Safety is key; we even have customized first aid training for our staff.”
Kalhama is excited about what lies ahead.
”The economy has been tough for everybody recently, but we are investing and will be ready when growth starts again. We’re hoping to expand in Finland, and I think Flowpark will have opportunities to expand internationally.”
