Haparanda - Tornio is situated as a crossroads between two different areas at the apex of the Gulf of Bothnia, with access to the markets fo four nations. The concentrated local market has 34,000 inhabitants - the combined population of the towns. But there is also a large consumer market within commuting distance. Since ancient times, it has been a tradition among people in the area to travel to Haparanda - Tornio to shop. Total purchasing power in Haparanda and Tornio is approximately 2,200 million SEK per annum. About 1,500 million of this is spent outside Haparanda and Tornio. Calculations show that purchasing power in the region is growing. There are future business opportunities here.