After two months of declining demand for hotel rooms in Sweden, demand increased significantly in December, despite more busy days than normal. Compared to December 2023, the number of hotel rooms sold during the month increased by 7.5 percent.
In the major cities, demand increased the most in Malmö by just over 20 percent, followed by Stockholm by 7 percent, while it decreased in Gothenburg. Outside the major cities, the number of hotel rooms sold increased by almost 9 percent.
– This is a welcome and much-needed development. However, it should be remembered that December is the low season in the hotel market, says Thomas Jakobsson, chief economist at Visita.
– The question now is whether this is the beginning of a turnaround or whether it is a temporary relief. The fact that financially pressured consumers say they are less inclined to save around weekends and holidays than on weekdays could indicate that this is more likely an exception in the recession, Jakobsson continues.
– The high cost levels have put profitability under pressure for a long time. The effects of interest rate cuts come with a delay, and when inflation is now below target, it is important that there continue to be rapid and large interest rate cuts so that households, companies and public actors do not reduce their tourism consumption unnecessarily. Sooner or later, this risks creating higher unemployment among groups with already weak footholds in the labor market, concludes Thomas Jakobsson.
According to the press release.
