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Sweden (Sverige) is the largest of the Nordic countries in Northern Europe. It borders Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark via the bridge of Öresund (Öresundsbron). The Baltic Sea lies to the east of Sweden, as well as the Gulf of Bothnia, which separates Sweden from most of Finland.

Contents 1 Country Profile 1.1 Geography/Population 1.2 Politics 1.3 Economy 2 Tourism Demand 2.1 General 2.2 International travel 2.3 Travel behaviour 2.4 Holiday planning 2.5 Heritage Tourism 3 Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region 3.1 Air 3.2 Sea 3.3 Rail 3.4 Road 4 References

Country Profile

Geography/Population

• Land area: 450,295 km² (country comparison to the world: 55)
• Population: 9.1 million inhabitants (country comparison to the world: 89); 21 inhabitants/km²; 86.6% Swedish, 1.9 Finns, 1,1% Iraqi, 0.8 Yugoslavs, every 0.6% Polish, Bosnian, Irani, every 0.5% Danish, Norwegian, German, 6.3% other
• Biggest Cities: Capital Stockholm (795,000), Göteborg (494,000), Malmö (281,000), Uppsala (188,000), Lindköping (140,000)
• Urbanisation: 85% of the Swedish population live in cities
• Religions: Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%
• Languages: Swedish (official), small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
• Age structure (Median age: 41.7 years):

0-14 years: 15.7%

15-64 years: 65.5%

65+ years: 18.8%

• Population projection: Against the European trend there will be small population growth in the future (2025: 9.9 million inhabitants)

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1], UN Population divison 2010 ^[2]}

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Politics

• Government type: unitary parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy
• Chief of state: King CARL XVI Gustaf (since 1973)
• Head of government: Fredrik Reinfeldt (since 2006)
• Administration: 21 provinces

_{Source: CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1]}

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Economy

	2007	2008	2009	2010*	2011*	2015*
GDP (PPP) in billion US$	343.2	349.2	334.3	352.3	366.0	444.0
GDP development	+6.4%	+1.8%	-4.3%	+5.4%	+3.9%
GDP per capita (PPP) in US$	37,500	37,900	36,000	37,800	39,100	46,900
Inflation rate	1.7%	3.3%	2.0%	1.8%	1.9%
Unemployment rate	6.1%	6.2%	8.3%	8.2%	8.2%

^{*2010, 2011, 2015 data: estimates by IMF, October 2010}

• GDP-composition by sector: services: 72.2% industry: 26.1% agriculture: 1.7%

• Swedens economy is heavily based towards foreign trade and big global cooperations (e.g. Volvo, Ericsson, Saab, Astra Zeneca)

• Import- and export: Most important partners are Germany, Norway, Denmark, UK, Netherlands, Finland, France and USA (export)
• Currency: Swedish kronor (1 Krone (Skr)= 100 Øre): 1 Euro = 9.6617skr (April 2010)
• Income distribution: The Swedish distibution of income is very balanced (above-average, position 4 worldwide)
• HDI (Human Development Index): Sweden is a „Very High Human Development“ Country (2010: country comparison in the world: 9)
• Media access: 84% of Swedish households with Internet access; 190 Phones per 100 inhabitants; ICT Development Index (IDI), worldwide benchmarking of communication infrastructure: Rank 1

_{Source: IMF World Economic Outlook Database ^[3], CIA - The World Factbook 2011 ^[1], DZT Incoming Schweden 2011 ^[4], UNDP Human Development Report 2010 ^[5], OECD Factbook (2010) ^[6]}

Tourism Demand

General

• Travel propensity: 84% of the Swedish travelled at least once in 2009, either for business or private purposes. This is the seventh highest value of all European countries. Note: travelling was defined as spending one night away from home, for private or business purposes.
• "Private" travel propensity:

76% of the Swedish had travelled – for private reasons – at least once in 2009

42% had made at least one holiday trip (4+ nights) and at least one short private trip (1-3 nights)

17% had made at least one holiday trip but no short private trips

17% had made at least one short private trip but no holiday trips

• Travel frequency of the Swedish private travellers:

13% of them made exactly one holiday or short private trip in 2009

15% made two

15% made three

19% four to five

17% six to ten

11% more than ten trips

• Domestic holidays: The share of main holiday trips of the Swedish with domestic destinations was 38% in 2008. In European comparison this value is quite avaraged.

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7] Flash Eurobarometer 258 (2009) ^[8]}

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International travel

	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009
Number of international trips of the Swedish	9.3 million	10.1 million	10.2 million	10.7 million	10.7 million	9.3 million

• Holiday/business/VFR: 72% of the 9.3 million international trips in 2009 were holiday, 17% business, 11% VFR (visiting friends and relatives)
• Long/short holidays: 67% of the 6.7 million private trips abroad in 2009 were "long" holiday trips (4+ nights), 33% were "short" holiday trips (1-3 nights)
• Frequency of international travel: on average, every Swedish (15+ years old) took 1.2 international trips in 2009
• Regional source markets: 38% of international trips in 2009 originated from Southern Sweden, 30% from the greater area of Stockholm, 51% from Middle Sweden and 7% from Northern Sweden
• Destinations all international trips 2009:

1. Germany (14%; 1.3 million)

2. Spain (10%; 1.0 million)

3. Norway (8%; 0.8 million)

4. Asia/Pacific Region (7%; 0.7 million)

5. Denmark (7%; 0.7 million)

• Destinations international holiday trips 2009 ("long" and "short" holidays):

1. Spain (12%; 0.8 million)

2. Germany (11%; 0.7 million)

3. Norway (8%; 0.6 million)

• Duration of international trips of the Swedish 2009:

International holiday trips: 7.0 nights

International VFR trips: 6.6 nights

International business trips: 4.9 nights

• International travel spendings 2009: total 7.8 billion Euro - corresponding to 851 Euro per international trip and 125 Euro per night abroad. Note: including all costs of travel and transport at home and at the destination

_{Source: IPK International: World Travel Monitor 2009. In: DZT Incoming Schweden 2011 ^[4]}

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Travel behaviour

• Major Motivation for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Sun/beach 26% [EU27: 19%]

2. Rest/recreation 22% [EU27: 37%]

3. Visiting someone 21% [EU27: 17%]

• Method of transport for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Airplane 49% [EU27: 35%]

2. Car 38% [EU27: 48%]

3. Train 5% [EU27: 7%]

4. Bus 4% [EU27: 6%]

5. Boat 3% [EU27: 2%]

• Organisation of main holiday trip 2009:

60% Travel organised individually [EU27: 58%]

9% Travel booked through travel agency [EU27: 13%]

12% Package tour booked via Internet [EU27: 11%]

9% Package tour booked through travel agency [EU27: 10%]

8% Other [EU27: 7%]

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

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Holiday planning

• Holiday destination choice criteria of the Swedish:

1. The environment 33% [EU27: 32%]

2. Cultural heritage 28% [EU27: 25%]

3. Entertainment 13% [EU27: 16%]

• Information sources for holiday planning:

1. Recommendations of friends/relatives: total 63% [EU27: 58%], most important source 33% [EU27: 30%]

2. Internet: total 52% [EU27: 42%], most important source 30% [EU27: 24%]

3. Personal experience: total 23% [EU27: 31%], most important source 14% [EU27: 18%]

4. Catalogues/brochures: total 16% [EU27: 14%], most important source 7% [EU27: 6%]

5. Guidebooks/magazines: total 12% [EU27: 12%], most important source 4% [EU27: 5%]

6. Travel and tourist agencies: total 13% [EU27: 22%], most important source 5% [EU27: 11%]

7. Media (TV, radio, newspaper): total 12% [EU27: 9%], most important source 5% [EU27: 3%]

• Destination preferences:

46% Traditional, well-known destinations [EU27: 57%]

37% Non-traditional, emerging destinations [EU27: 28%]

13% Not important, no preference [EU27: 13%]

• Planned destination main holiday trip 2010:

36% Sweden

3% Baltic Sea Region (without Sweden)

45% Outside BSR

16% No main holiday planned

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

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Heritage Tourism

• Major Motivation for main holiday trip 2009:

1. Sun/beach 26% [EU27: 19%]

2. Rest/recreation 22% [EU27: 37%]

3. Visiting someone 21% [EU27: 17%]

4. Nature 10% [EU27: 6%]

5. Culture/religion 8% [EU27: 6%]

6. Sports-related 7% [EU27: 4%]

7. City trip 4% [EU27: 7%]

• Holiday destination choice criteria of the Swedish:

1. The environment 33% [EU27: 32%]

2. Cultural heritage 28% [EU27: 25%]

3. Entertainment 13% [EU27: 16%]

4. Gastronomy 6% [EU27: 6%]

5. Festivals/events 5% [EU27: 5%]

6. Art 3% [EU27: 6%]

• Expectations about emerging destinations:

Expectations about emerging destinations vary widely across the different European countries. In Sweden as in the other Nordic countries (countries where many respondents preferred such destinations), respondents’ main expectations lay in the 'discovery of local culture and lifestyle' (49% [EU27: 33%]). Consequently other expectations, such as better value for money, lower prices, better environmental quality and better quality of service only played a minor role for the Swedish

_{Source: Flash Eurobarometer 291 (2010) ^[7]}

Traffic links into the Baltic Sea Region

Air

Stockholm Arlanda Airport is the largest airport in Scandinavia. Flights go to more than 150 destinations, most of which are international including many cities in the Baltic Sea Region. The airport has four terminals (2, 3, 4, and 5) that are linked by shuttle bus. Other airports offering international flights into the Baltic Sea Region are Gothenburg International Airport and Malmö-Sturup-Airport. Located on an island between Copenhagen and Malmö, Copenhagen Kastrup (Denmark), is ideal for departures from southern Sweden. Train connections leave from the airport to both cities.

Please look up the airport links for their current connections into the BSR:

• Stockholm Airport
• Gothenburg Airport
• Malmö Airport
• Copenhagen Airport

Sea

There are several ferry-connections from Sweden into the Baltic Sea Region, e.g. to Germany, Denmark, Finland and Poland. A current overview of the ferry lines can be found here.

Rail

Sweden has an extensive railway network: Swedish rail moves between the major cities of Malmo, Helsingborg, Gothenburg and Stockholm every hour throughout the day. There are the following train connections into the Baltic Sea Region: Trains to Copenhagen and Copenhagen's airport depart at Malmö every 20 minutes. The train goes over the Öresund Bridge to get to Denmark in less than 30 minutes. Furthermore direct trains (X2000) leave from Copenhagen to Stockholm. There are main connections between Oslo (Norway) and Stockholm and Gothenburg as well as connections between Östersund - Åre - Trondheim and Stockholm - Boden - Kiruna - Narvik. You can travel from Malmö to Berlin (Germany) with the Berlin Night Express. As Finland and Sweden use a different gauge, there's no train connection between these two countries. If you want to depart towards Finland, travel via Luleå / Boden - Haparanda - Tornio - Kemi by bus. Interrail tickets are valid on that bus. For further information see Swedish Railways.

Road

Sweden offers drivers a well-maintained network of roads and highways. It is possible to drive the entire length of Sweden from south to north. There are no tolls, except when crossing the Öresund Bridge. The opening of the Öresund Bridge in the year of 2000 has made non-stop travel between mainland Sweden and Europe a reality. The 16 km/10 mile bridge and tunnel links Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, with Sweden’s third largest city, Malmö. For more information on the bridge and the Öresund region, look here.

Of course it is also possible, to leave Sweden on a car-ferry, e.g. to Kiel or Travemünde (Germany).

For further information on roads in Sweden see here.

References

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} CIA - The World Factbook, January 2011 [1]
2. ↑ UN Population division 2010 [2]
3. ↑ IMF (International Monetary Fund): World Economic Outlook Database, October 2010 [3]
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus: Marktinformationen Incoming Schweden 2011 [4]
5. ↑ UNDP Human Development Report 2010[5]
6. ↑ OECD Factbook 2010: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics [6]
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} European Commission: Flash Eurobarometer 291, March 2010: Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism [7]
8. ↑ European Commission: Flash Eurobarometer 258, March 2019: Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards tourism [8]