The allure of cooler Sweden captivates amidst the scorching European summer heat

Last year's summer heat of over 45 degrees which looks set to repeat itself across several parts of Europe in 2023, might make Sweden an interesting alternative holiday destination this year. However, according to Visit Sweden, there are currently several, temporary factors in favour of Sweden as a holiday destination this summer.

Photo: Per Pixel Petersson/imagebank.sweden.se (Download)

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- It is not possible to blindly rely on coincidences such as weak exchange rates or weather to create long-term sustainable tourism that continuously contributes to a thriving tourism industry and jobs, says Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden.

As Visit Sweden has marketed Sweden as a tourist destination for 120 years, they speak from experience:

- Long-term, consistent and solid marketing work with a high degree of knowledge about the target groups you want to reach is a prerequisite for success when competition from other countries only gets tougher, Susanne continues.

At present, however, alongside Visit Sweden's efforts, Sweden is benefiting from several external factors.

Record interest in Sweden as a tourist destination

Tourism to and in Sweden was at a historic peak the year before the pandemic. Since 2019, interest in visiting Sweden has increased by a further 29 per cent, according to the latest statistics by tourism-related Google searches about Sweden - searches about living, eating, seeing and doing things as a tourist in Sweden.

Through Visit Sweden, Sweden was one of the few countries in the world that during the pandemic years consistently continued to market itself as a tourist destination, "when the time would be right to travel again".

When the pandemic subsided, Visit Sweden was on its toes and quickly launched an international marketing campaign that aroused great global interest, far beyond the countries and target groups that the campaign primarily aimed at.

- The Google statistics are particularly gratifying, as they show, among other things, that our efforts to increase interest in Sweden as a tourist destination 365 days a year, through well-planned marketing campaigns, are bearing fruit, says Susanne Andersson.

Increased wanderlust and a delayed pandemic effect

Both internationally and among Swedes, interest in travelling is high and has increased since the year before the pandemic. The pandemic itself has accelerated the longing to be outdoors, preferably in nature where there are fewer people whilst at the same time still being easily able to access the city.

The war in Ukraine and the world's geopolitical instability does not seem to be affecting interest in travel to Sweden.

Favourable Swedish currency

International economic uncertainty does not reduce wanderlust. Instead, many choose a slightly cheaper travel option.

The Swedish exchange rate in comparison with many others is still weak, which makes it extra affordable to holiday in Sweden compared to many other parts of the world. Both for international visitors and Swedes alike.

Conscious travel

Conscious travel is increasing, which means travel with a smaller climate footprint, considerate of the natural environments we enjoy, the communities we visit and the animals we encounter. Such as Nature´s Best, Sweden’s only sustainability label for nature-based experiences, a certificate that verifies ethical, high-quality nature tours across Sweden.

With the new night train services there has been a significant increase in interest in train journeys to Sweden from Germany. Specifically, searches for train travel from Hamburg to Stockholm witnessed a remarkable increase of +151% in 2022 as compared to 2021. Similarly, searches for trains from Paris have also experienced a substantial rise, with a growth of +103%.

Sweden HAS what is trending globally

Sweden´s range of accommodations, activities, experiences, food and drink is exactly what global trend analysts highlight as the biggest trends in the world.

In 2022, searches for typical summer experiences such as beaches increased by +22% compared to 2021 and searches for islands increased by +64%. The highest percentage of searches related to beaches and islands in Sweden comes from the United States and Germany.

Sweden boasts an exceptional array of beaches, offering a delightful choice between coastal adorned with white dunes, and tranquil inland lakes with golden beaches. You´ll find a selection of the finest beaches in Sweden in this link - https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/nature-outdoors/beaches-in-sweden/ .

It is well known that Sweden has a vast number of islands, the most of any nation according to worldatlas.com, with nearly 270,000. 38 per cent of these are situated in the seas surrounding Sweden and most form island archipelagos or groups of islands.

Sweden´s archipelagos are characterised by beautiful scenery, untouched nature and islands with few inhabitants. Here are a few suggestions of coastal gems and seaside adventures to get a taste of Swedish island life, perfect for warm summer days - https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/nature-outdoors/nature/archipelagos/swedens-archipelagos/ .

"The fact that many external factors are currently in Sweden's favour, such as the sun warming your back on a hot summer´s day with a slight breeze, is not a long-term strategy to be relied on. Competition to attract tourists is fierce”, says Susanne.

About Visit Sweden 
Visit Sweden is the official national Marketing Company of Sweden as a tourist destination. The aim with our destination marketing is to sustainably increase travelling to and within Sweden for holiday purposes. Visit Sweden, represented in six global markets, combine market leading insights and market knowledge with unique PR- and communications expertise. Our company vision is to make Sweden the world leader in sustainable destination marketing. Visit Sweden is owned by the Swedish government. www.visitsweden.com