What began as a small gathering of sauna enthusiasts has grown into a global meeting point for the sauna industry.
The very first World Sauna Forum was organized in 2017 in Jyväskylä, and it was truly a major effort to bring the international sauna community together for the first time. One of the keynote speakers was Doctor Jari Laukkanen, who presented his groundbreaking research on the health benefits of sauna — research that would later transform global understanding of sauna and wellness.
Since then, the forum has brought together sauna professionals, innovators, designers, tourism operators and entrepreneurs from around the world. New ideas have been born, partnerships have started, and the global sauna community has grown stronger.
In 2019 and again in 2022, the event was organized in Tampere – the World Sauna Capital. In 2022 the fifth forum gathered over 300 guests from 16 countries, with more than 30 sauna companies presenting their work and international media visiting the event.
The year 2020 was exceptional. Due to the global pandemic, the live event planned for Tampere had to be cancelled. Instead of stopping, Sauna from Finland organized the first virtual World Sauna Forum. The two-day online event welcomed over a thousand participants from around the world, and the programme streams were downloaded more than 4000 times.
In 2024, we decided to return to the Sauna Region of the World – Jyväskylä. By then, the beautiful Sataman Viilu sauna and restaurant had opened by the lakeside, offering a perfect place to continue the tradition. The region is home to many remarkable sauna destinations such as Savutuvan Apaja, Sauna Village, Tupaswilla, and many other unique sauna experiences.
One thing has remained the same since the very beginning:
the shared passion for sauna culture and its future.
Three days of inspiration, business opportunities and unforgettable sauna experiences.
The question is…
Will you be part of the next chapter?
