In a new drive by its government to strengthen the Swedish tourism exports Visit Sweden has allocated SEK 70 million over the coming three years to implement a number of initiatives that will strengthen Sweden’s image abroad. Visit Sweden thus have the opportunity to undertake major investments in new growth markets such as India and China, to increase promotion of sustainable natural and eco-tourism in rural areas and implement actions to encourage more tourists to stay longer. – The global travel will increase by three per cent per year up to 2030, but 40% of the tourists stay in Sweden just over the day. The government has decided to allocate Visit Sweden with funding of SEK 30 million to strengthen the work on new growth markets, promoting sustainable, natural and eco-tourism in rural areas, and implement measures to extend the foreign visitors’ stay in Sweden. In order to reach the EU’s lowest unemployment in 2020 more tourism jobs and businesses have to be generated,” says Economic Development and Innovation Minister Mikael Damberg. Pilot projects in China The long-distance tourists, that is overseas tourists, becomes increasingly important for Sweden. Visit Sweden has therefore started pilot projects to strengthen Sweden’s presence in new growth markets such as China and India. The started the venture in China will in 2015 be concentration on promoting new SAS route between Hong Kong and Stockholm. The communication will consist of consumer campaigns, partnerships with tour operators and advertising in social media. Profile Sweden in ecotourism and nature tourism Outdoor experiences are often marketed by small businesses without preconditions to do any international marketing on their own. The tourism industry should rally behind a national program for sustainable ecotourism and nature tourism that gives small companies a chance to establish themselves and reach visitors on the global market.
Sweden is increasing it's promotion of sustainable natural and eco-tourism in rural areas along with ideas to encourage tourists to stay longer using its government allocation of SEK 70 million ($8.1mn) for tourism. The Swedish Tourist Board has also launched a campaign called 'Stay Green' which encourages visitors to use their own energy sources such as solar panels or wind turbines instead of buying expensive imported products.