Exotic paradise beaches in all their glory – now Swedes would rather go on a city break. According to a new Sifo survey from the travel company TUI, conducted by Kantar Media, most people say they would prefer to visit a European city this winter. The Caribbean and the Maldives are then at the top of the list of Swedes' dream destinations.
Although most Swedes are traveling to the Canary Islands and Thailand this winter, a new Sifo survey shows that the vast majority are dreaming of completely different travel destinations. One in three would prefer to visit a major city in Europe, while one in five dreams of traveling to the Caribbean. Next come the Maldives, the USA and Thailand.
– The fact that Swedes choose a destination but would rather have gone somewhere else is not a new phenomenon. Many want to feel that they are getting a good deal when they book their trip. Affordability is an important factor, for example how good a hotel standard you get for your budget and what the cost situation is at the destination. Smooth flight connections and direct flights of course also play a big role in the decision-making process, says Dian Martinez Valencia, communications manager at TUI.
Above all, it is young adults (18-34 years old) who have European cities as their top dream travel destination. Four out of ten young adults state this, compared to just under a third among those over 35 years old.
“Young people prioritize a wider range of culture, entertainment and nightlife when they travel, which you will find to a greater extent in cities. At the same time, we see that interest in city trips is increasing across all ages,” says Dian Martinez Valencia, communications manager at TUI.
Several new city destinations launched during the autumn
To meet the growing city trend, TUI has introduced several new European cities to its offering during the autumn. Among them are the typically Spanish city of Seville with its historic architecture, the authentic food city of Bologna in northern Italy and the lively city of Manchester, known for its music scene and football spirit.
– We also see that big cities like Istanbul, Athens and Vienna have increased significantly more in popularity than classic city and weekend destinations like Paris, Berlin and Budapest. During the autumn, we have also added several new cities in the USA to our range. Among them are Chicago and Boston, which are exciting big city alternatives for those who want to experience something different than New York, says Dian Martinez Valencia, communications manager at TUI.
Top 5: Swedes' dream destinations for autumn/winter 2023*
1. European city 34 percent
2. Caribbean/West Indies 22 percent
3. Maldives 17 percent
4. United States 17 percent
5. Thailand 11 percent
*From a list of 15 different destinations. 19 percent chose the option ”Other”.
About the survey
The survey was conducted in Kantar Media's Sifopanel via an online survey and with a representative sample. A total of 1,074 people aged 18–79 participated in the survey. The survey was conducted on September 20-23, 2023.
Appendix
If you were to take a trip this fall or winter, what would be your dream destination(s)? (Multiple choice, max 3 options)
| TotalN= 1 074 | 18-34 yearsN=311 | 35-55 yearsN=401 | 56-79 yearsN=362 | |
| European city (eg London, Paris, Rome) | 34 % | 41 % | 29 % | 33 % |
| Caribbean (e.g. Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica) | 22 % | 22 % | 27 % | 16 % |
| Maldives | 17 % | 18 % | 20 % | 13 % |
| United States of America | 17 % | 19 % | 19 % | 14 % |
| Thailand | 11 % | 12 % | 12 % | 7 % |
| Canary Islands | 10 % | 9 % | 9 % | 13 % |
| Mauritius | 8 % | 8 % | 9 % | 7 % |
| Seychelles | 8 % | 6 % | 10 % | 8 % |
| Bali | 7 % | 10 % | 7 % | 4 % |
| Vietnam | 6 % | 9 % | 5 % | 4 % |
| Zanzibar | 5 % | 3 % | 9 % | 3 % |
| Mexico | 5 % | 8 % | 6 % | 2 % |
| Cape Verde | 4 % | 3 % | 4 % | 6 % |
| Sri Lanka | 3 % | 4 % | 4 % | 2 % |
| Malaysia | 2 % | 1 % | 3 % | 1 % |
| Annat | 19 % | 18 % | 17 % | 23 % |
| Don't know | 10 % | 7 % | 8 % | 14 % |
According to the press release.
