Kalevi Keihänen (upper picture) was a Finnish WWII veteran whom became an entrepreneur in Finnish travel agencies. Keihänen became known for his extravagant behavior, long hair and unique style of dress - wearing a chinchilla fur coat, only swimming trunks underneath. Keihänen was a groundbreaking person in creating Finnish tourism during the 1960's-1970's. The surname, "Keihänen" was inflected as "Keihäs" - "Spear", giving name for the travel agency - "Keihäsmatkat" - "Spear Tours" and for Keihänen's private Airline Company, "Spear Air".
Upper photo: Markku Lepola, 1973/Finnish Heritage Agency
Lower photo: Eeva Rista, 1973/Helsinki City Museum
Keihänen is said to have copied his style from Simon Spies, the Danish travel agency entrepreneur. Keihänen's travel agency and the airline company made flights from Finland mostly to the continental Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands from 1965 to 1974 having 100 000 annual passengers. 'Keihäsmatkat' made tourism and holidays in the southern Europe available for every Finn by offering low-cost one-week-holidays.
Spear Air operated DC-8-32 airplanes, Keihänen's marketing practices included for instance the extravagant articles in 'Hymy'-magazine, the magazine founder and owner was Keihänen's friend in personal life. Also, advancing, excessive use of alcohol beverages was used in marketing, for instance, Spear Air was the only airline company to offer moonshine for the passengers during the flights. However, it was later revealed, the moonshine was cheap vodka from Mallorca.
As noted, Keihänen's themes in order to invite customers and passengers were cheap liquor and sex. Being "Finnishness" - meaning resorts where tourists could party from dust 'till dawn, to get very drunk and to pass out - was completely acceptable. A point was made, no-one was left alone on the trips organized by 'Keihäsmatkat'. A fundamental tourist on a holiday by 'Keihäsmatkat' was not interested about the local culture, neither the local people. Being drunk, continuously throughout the holiday was considered as "a safe guard" against the culture shock. It was quite common, the Finnish tourists were afraid to contact with foreign people, the lack of language skills did not improve the situation.
There's a short story in my family about the previous. My grandparents (they are already passed away) went on a holiday, to Gran Canaria in the early 1980's. They both only spoke Finnish. As being too afraid to go out, to communicate with the locals and eat in a restaurant, my grandparents instead spent many days only in the hotel room, eating lunch they brought from home. At last, my grandfather got tired and encouraged himself by saying: - "We go now, even if they brought us living frogs on a plate, we go to the restaurant now!"
'Keihäsmatkat', the principles it represented for, has been compared to the tourism from Finland to the Soviet Union during the same era, also known as "vodka tourism".
The 1973 oil crisis furthered 'Keihäsmatkat' financial problems, in addition, the both, the travel agency and the airline, Spear Air had invested and expanded too boldly and too fast. Keihänen blamed the state-owned airline, Finnair about the bankruptcy of 'Keihäsmatkat' and Spear Air. According to Finnair, the state-owned company contrarily had offered cooperation with Spear Air, Finnair was ready to even paint aircraft having Spear Air/Keihäsmatkat emblems and symbols.
Probably Keihänen was reckless in spending money and in economy. Keihänen's financiers withdrew. About the money troubles, one of the last Spear Air flights was to Istanbul. The Spear Air DC-8 just circled over the Istanbul airport and landed not until fuel was to be depleted. However, the stairs needed to exit from the plane was not brought by the airport crew, not until a suitcase filled with money needed to cover the landing expenses was thrown out from the plane onto the ground.
While Spear Air and 'Keihäsmatkat' declared bankruptcies, there were nearly 2 000 Finnish tourists abroad using the travel agency and the airline. Finnair was called to bring these people to home. In Istanbul, the Finnair aircraft was seized by armed, local officials as a deposit for the Spear Air debts. The situation remained until the Finnair CEO intervening and declaring, Finnair is not responsible about the Spear Air debts.
As a "heredity", 'Keihäsmatkat' and Spear Air is recognized as giving the basics for the Finns needed to learn to travel abroad on their holidays. About the 'Keihäsmatkat' holiday offering, the fantasy and the vision sings for instance Irwin Goodman in his song 'Las Palmas'.
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