Julita Gård in Södermanland wins the Grand Tourism Prize 2018.
The prize of 100,000 kronor was awarded today, 6 December, in Stockholm by Gunilla Nordlöf, Director-General of Tillväxtverket, and Cecilia Schelin Seidegård, Chair of the Foundation for Knowledge Promotion in Tourism.
The destination Julita Gård has, based on the site's historical environment, successfully developed a place with an arena where many actors together build and share knowledge, the jury believes.
– This year, all counties have selected innovative candidates who contribute to making Sweden an outstanding destination. The winner has successfully created a visitor destination that capitalises on its historical heritage and has established a hub for collaboration and knowledge sharing, says Cecilia Schelin Seidegård, chair of the Foundation for Knowledge Promotion in Tourism and County Governor of Gotland County.
The other finalists in this year's competition were:
Hide & See Norrbotten, Trolltunet Västerbotten, Storhogna fjällby Jämtland Härjedalen, Urkult Västernorrland, Högbo Brukshotell Gävleborg, Kulinariet Dalarna, Sliperiet Konsthall & Gastronomy Värmland, Katrinelund Guest House & Seaside Inn Örebro County, Ulvsbomuren Wilderness & Countryside Living Västmanland, Go Adventure Uppsala County, Royal Djurgården Stakeholders KDI Stockholm County, ESS Group Västra Götaland, Rimforsa Strand Östergötland, Gotland Bike Hire Gotland, Småland Resorts Jönköping County, 2018 World Table Tennis Championships – Destination Halmstad Halland, Villa Vik Toftastrand Kronoberg, Ironman Kalmar – Sport Alliance Kalmar Kalmar County, Eriksberg Game & Nature Blekinge, Dag Hammarskjöld's Backåkra Skåne
The Great Tourism Prize highlights exemplary efforts that have developed tourism in Sweden. The prize is awarded for the 25th consecutive year by the Foundation for Knowledge Promotion in Tourism, which is an independent foundation whose purpose is to promote the development of knowledge within Swedish tourism. Growth Analysis is the foundation's principal and appoints its board.
The Stora Tourism Prize is awarded in conjunction with the conference "The Tourism Industry on the Agenda," which brings together people working in the Swedish tourism industry. The conference is organised by SKL in collaboration with Tillväxtverket and Regional Tourism Networks.
