Swedish tourism suffers summer decline
Fewer tourists visited Sweden in the summer 2011, breaking a six year upward trend, according to new figures from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket).
Total overnight stays declined by 0.7 percent during the summer 2011 with overnight stays by overseas visitors down a total 1.3 percent.
Despite the fall in overnight stays total accommodation revenues increased by 2.1 percent and visitors from outside of Europe increased by 13.1 percent.
Increases in visits from Chinese tourists, other Asian tourists, and the United States lay behind the increase with climbs of 45 percent, 17.4 percent and 5.4 percent respectively.
Tourist volumes from neighbouring countries declined however by 3.8 percent, corresponding to 110,000 overnight stays with Denmark accounting for almost the entire drop after a 17.4 percent decline in numbers.
Overnight stays by foreign tourists in hotels, chalets and hostels in Sweden increased for the eighth consecutive year, to a total of 5.3 billion kronor ($770 million).
Skåne in the south of Sweden increased the most, recording a climb of 4.5 percent to 0.6 billion kronor, followed by Stockholm with an increase of 1.2 percent to 1.8 billion.
The Local reported in June that after a strong spring the industry had strong hopes a new record summer, but the figures showed that Sweden was unable to escape the effects of the economic woes in Denmark and other European countries.
The spring figures also indicated that the increase in interest in Sweden from US and Chinese tourists is a major factor bolstering the visitor figures.
Comments
See Also
Total overnight stays declined by 0.7 percent during the summer 2011 with overnight stays by overseas visitors down a total 1.3 percent.
Despite the fall in overnight stays total accommodation revenues increased by 2.1 percent and visitors from outside of Europe increased by 13.1 percent.
Increases in visits from Chinese tourists, other Asian tourists, and the United States lay behind the increase with climbs of 45 percent, 17.4 percent and 5.4 percent respectively.
Tourist volumes from neighbouring countries declined however by 3.8 percent, corresponding to 110,000 overnight stays with Denmark accounting for almost the entire drop after a 17.4 percent decline in numbers.
Overnight stays by foreign tourists in hotels, chalets and hostels in Sweden increased for the eighth consecutive year, to a total of 5.3 billion kronor ($770 million).
Skåne in the south of Sweden increased the most, recording a climb of 4.5 percent to 0.6 billion kronor, followed by Stockholm with an increase of 1.2 percent to 1.8 billion.
The Local reported in June that after a strong spring the industry had strong hopes a new record summer, but the figures showed that Sweden was unable to escape the effects of the economic woes in Denmark and other European countries.
The spring figures also indicated that the increase in interest in Sweden from US and Chinese tourists is a major factor bolstering the visitor figures.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.