At Swedish Lapland in Norrbotten, the pressure from international media is so great that there is barely time to accommodate everyone who wants to report on the experiences in northernmost Sweden.
– An incredible amount has happened in the last ten years and a lot is happening in the near future when it comes to the tourism industry, says Andreas Lind, CEO of the tourism organization Swedish Lapland Visitors Board.
Many places to visit
Andreas Lind mentions some relatively new destinations that have already gained a lot of attention internationally:
– In addition to the ice hotel and Treehotel, we now have Arctic Bath, which is getting a lot of attention. Then we see the development with small exclusive lodges or small campers or safari-like activities. Another example is Jössgården in Sjulsmark, which focuses on a luxury segment. Arctic Balloon started just a few weeks ago with balloon rides to watch the northern lights.
Doubled turnover
In 2018, Swedish Lapland had a turnover of 7.1 billion according to TEM (Tourism Economic Model) and Statistics Sweden. This means newly established businesses, increased employment and more tax revenue.
This brings us closer to the goal of doubling turnover over a ten-year period by 2020.
Aviation vs. climate
What will happen to climate thinking when more people are flown here for luxury tourism?
– Flying here affects the climate, we make no mistake about that. We have plenty of companies that work very actively with sustainability solutions because they see that guests who come here want sustainable solutions from all perspectives in their trip.
They also try to get guests to stay longer when they are already traveling.
– At the same time, the tourism industry generates so much more in the form of social sustainability than a vibrant rural area, says Andreas Lind.
The coronavirus
Due to the coronavirus, China is stopping all group travel abroad, how are you affected by that?
– China is not our most prioritized market and we do not have a large proportion of tourists from there, so we are not particularly affected. But it is clear that some small niche companies may be affected, says Andreas Lind.
Source: svt.se
