Weak krona draws in more foreign tourists
TT/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 14 Sep, 2015 CET.
Updated: Mon 14 Sep 2015 15:13 CET
UPDATED: Foreign tourists were able to get more kronor for their dollars, pounds and other currencies this summer, contributing to a hike in the number of visitors from countries including the UK and China.
The number of overnight stays in Swedish hotels from foreign visitors between June and the end of August was up by 8.6 percent compared to the same period last year, a report by the Swedish hospitality industry's trade association Visita has revealed.
According to Visita's research, Norwegians and Germans made up the largest proportion of foreign visitors. It also noted a marked rise in the number of overnight stays from British tourists (up by 20.3 percent) and those from China (up by 37.5 percent).
Researchers reported that krona had weakened against a number of major currencies in recent months and concluded that this had had a major impact on more tourists deciding to head to the Nordic country.
While a year ago $100 for example would have bought you around 700 Swedish kronor, visitors were able to cash in the same amount for well over 800 Swedish kronor this summer.
In a country known for its high hotel, restaurant and alcohol prices, this meant that tourists felt the pinch less than they would have done in previous years.
However the weak krona remains bad news for many foreign professionals currently working in Sweden, who have seen their salaries and savings tumble when converted into pounds, dollars, Chinese Yuan and other currencies over the past twelve months.
READ ALSO: Weak kronor is 'mixed blessing' for expats
A roof with a view in Stockholm. Photo: Simon Paulin/Image Bank Sweden
Visita said on Monday that it had detected a slight dip in the number of overnight stays made by Swedes this summer, reporting a drop of 0.8 percent.
It said that rain had been a key factor, with Swedish campsites in particular noting a huge drop in visitor numbers during the soggy summer, despite record bookings earlier in the year. Preliminary figures suggest a 8.2 percent dip on last year, when much of Sweden spent months basking in a heatwave.
The figures back up separate data released last month which showed that rising numbers of Swedes had flown abroad in search of sunshine.
Almost 3.4 million people travelled to or from one of the ten hubs run by Sweden's state-owned airport operator Swedavia in the month of July, an increase by nine percent – or 275,000 travellers in real terms – compared to the same period in 2014.
“A contributing factor is obviously the bad weather. People have started to go abroad to find some of the much-needed sun after a tough winter season,” Swedavia press spokeswoman Charlotte Periasamy told Sveriges Radio at the time.
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The number of overnight stays in Swedish hotels from foreign visitors between June and the end of August was up by 8.6 percent compared to the same period last year, a report by the Swedish hospitality industry's trade association Visita has revealed.
According to Visita's research, Norwegians and Germans made up the largest proportion of foreign visitors. It also noted a marked rise in the number of overnight stays from British tourists (up by 20.3 percent) and those from China (up by 37.5 percent).
Researchers reported that krona had weakened against a number of major currencies in recent months and concluded that this had had a major impact on more tourists deciding to head to the Nordic country.
While a year ago $100 for example would have bought you around 700 Swedish kronor, visitors were able to cash in the same amount for well over 800 Swedish kronor this summer.
In a country known for its high hotel, restaurant and alcohol prices, this meant that tourists felt the pinch less than they would have done in previous years.
However the weak krona remains bad news for many foreign professionals currently working in Sweden, who have seen their salaries and savings tumble when converted into pounds, dollars, Chinese Yuan and other currencies over the past twelve months.
READ ALSO: Weak kronor is 'mixed blessing' for expats
A roof with a view in Stockholm. Photo: Simon Paulin/Image Bank Sweden
Visita said on Monday that it had detected a slight dip in the number of overnight stays made by Swedes this summer, reporting a drop of 0.8 percent.
It said that rain had been a key factor, with Swedish campsites in particular noting a huge drop in visitor numbers during the soggy summer, despite record bookings earlier in the year. Preliminary figures suggest a 8.2 percent dip on last year, when much of Sweden spent months basking in a heatwave.
The figures back up separate data released last month which showed that rising numbers of Swedes had flown abroad in search of sunshine.
Almost 3.4 million people travelled to or from one of the ten hubs run by Sweden's state-owned airport operator Swedavia in the month of July, an increase by nine percent – or 275,000 travellers in real terms – compared to the same period in 2014.
“A contributing factor is obviously the bad weather. People have started to go abroad to find some of the much-needed sun after a tough winter season,” Swedavia press spokeswoman Charlotte Periasamy told Sveriges Radio at the time.
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