On average, 7 out of 10 people in seven countries surveyed are currently planning a holiday trip within six months. Among Swedes, Danes and Norwegians, Sweden is among the top five destinations they want to travel to. A coastal or nature holiday is the most interesting. Visit Sweden's Travel Barometer is conducted continuously in seven countries, most recently on June 9-14 in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, France, the Netherlands, Germany and the United Kingdom.
”"The interest in nature and the coast seems to be holding up and all of our larger Swedish cities are located near the coast with nature right on their doorstep, so we also hope that tourism to our cities can now begin to see an improvement," says Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden.
According to YouGov's latest International Travel & Tourism Report 2021, Millennials are the most travel-hungry age group. 55 percent of respondents are planning international vacations in the next 12 months, meaning that travel demand in the coming year will primarily come from the Millennial generation, born 1982-1999.
Safety is important
The desire to travel is strongly linked to feeling safe. As the world begins to open up, consumers are looking for low-risk leisure activities.
Familiar experiences and habits have become the best option, and during the pandemic, parks and nature have been a refuge for many. Therefore, it is no wonder that nature also attracts when travel becomes possible again.
Sweden is now considered a safe travel destination
Sweden is now considered to be an even safer travel destination. Approximately half of Swedes and those planning a trip to Sweden consider Sweden to be fairly or very safe, which is a continued increase from May this year.
One's own home country continues to be the most popular travel destination in all countries surveyed.
Late accommodation bookings
Unforeseen additional costs and quarantine are most often cited as barriers to choosing not to travel at all, according to the Mindshare WW New Normal Tracker W2 2021.
Even though the desire to travel seems to be returning, many are holding off on booking accommodation for the trip.
”"Many people seem to continue to wait until the last minute to make their bookings because they are probably unsure about the spread of the infection, travel restrictions at the time of the trip and cancellation options," says Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden.
”"A trip is something you plan well in advance, and if there's one thing many have learned in the past year, it's that the situation and opportunities can change at incredibly short notice."”
”Clearly communicating flexible booking and cancellation options can therefore be of extra importance in attracting travelers,” Susanne continues.
Sweden increasingly accessible by plane, train and ferry
Being able to travel is, after the will, the most decisive factor for travelers.
Several new flight routes and increased departures have been announced between Sweden and other countries in recent months. According to the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce, international flight bookings to Arlanda increased by 388.9 percent during the second quarter of this year, compared to the same period in 2020.
A train connection with one departure per day until September has also been established between Berlin and Stockholm.
And ferry companies are continuously expanding their connections between Sweden and other countries as demand returns.
Source:visitsweden
