Finnair has announced that it will start flying non-stop from the UK to Finnish Lapland.

The new direct service will link London Gatwick and Ivalo twice a week from mid-December 2017 until the end of March 2018.

The ski and holiday resorts in and around Ivalo are attracting an increasing number of international travellers and the area is well-known for its beautiful nature, winter activities and opportunities to experience Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights.

Finnair will fly twice a week between London Gatwick and Ivalo on Thursdays and Sundays, with the flights operated by Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft.

“There is increased interest towards Finland and especially Lapland as tourist destinations, and we are excited to be able to offer flights direct from London to Lapland,” said Juha Järvinen, chief commercial officer, Finnair.

“In addition to multiple alternatives via Helsinki, these new non-stop flights will offer great additional opportunities for UK holidaymakers visiting Lapland.

“Finnair is the only airline serving all Lapland airports and this gives our customers the flexibility to travel around Lapland and experience the beautiful variety in the region.”

The announcement by Finnair is part of a wider expansion of new non-stop routes between key European cities and Finnish Lapland.

Other new services for winter 2017 include weekly flights between Zurich and Kittilä on Saturdays, Frankfurt and Kittilä on Tuesdays and Paris CDG and Kittilä, also on Tuesdays.