On Mondays we run news from the travel industry, the camping industry and the digital world here at FREEDOMtravel. The news comes to us in the form of press releases and various newsletters - and it feels perfect to be able to summarise once a week.
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ShareToday we can tell you that northern destinations are making progress, that you can buy "likes" for your Instagram pictures in vending machines in Russia and that Influencers of Sweden has established a new industry award for influencers.
Table of contents
Tax refund goes to travel
Many people have now received a tax refund. According to a Sifo survey by Ticket, 22 per cent plan to use the tax refund to fill holes in their everyday finances. The next largest number, 11 per cent, said they would prefer to invest in more or more expensive trips. This is followed by loan repayments (8%), renovation (7%) and entertainment such as cinema and concerts (3%).
Cheaper flights to USA and Canada
Global travel search site Skyscanner has analysed which long-haul flights have dropped the most in price since last year. According to the results, flying to Denver in particular has become cheaper (a 23 per cent drop in price). It has also become cheaper to fly to several other destinations in the US, and Canadasuch as Calgary, Chicago, Seattle and Toronto.
Project brings more tourists to the north
The Visit Arctic Europe project has resulted in 21,000 new visitors and 130,000 new overnight stays in Arctic destinations during the past winter season. The project is a joint effort between Sweden, Norway and Finland, working with European tour operators to help tourists combine destinations in the three countries. For example, cross-border packages allow tourists to combine Norwegian whale watching with the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
Buy likes for your Instagram photos in the vending machine
Getting lots of "likes" on your Instagram pictures is not only fun but also valuable if you want to succeed in social media, which attracts various dirty tricks. It has long been known that you can buy followers, but now Dagens Analys reports that in Moscow has gone one step further - you can now buy likes from vending machines in shopping centres!
Journalist Vasily Sokin reports that you can buy 100 likes for $0.89 (£8). If you pay $285, you get 150,000 followers which guarantees at least 1500 likes on each post...
New industry award for Influencers
Influencers of Sweden, which is Sweden's trade organisation for influencers (bloggers, instagrammers, youtubers and others), has established the "Stora Influencerpriset". Sweden's most innovative and business-focused influencers will be selected in eleven categories and an honorary prize. Anyone can nominate candidates in one or more categories. The prize will be awarded on 13 October at the Elite Marina Tower in Stockholm.
Did you miss the last travel news? Read the Swedish midsummer, Rhodes and how we use emojis
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Finnlines new ships, design cooperation and mushroom weekends
New world heritage site - and this is where Swedes are flying this winter
Winter's trending destinations - and baking book for travellers
Hawaii hotels, charter to Tunisia and record year for Croatia
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Ditte says:
It's great to have a collaboration that attracts more travellers to the north, because there's so much to see.
I also noticed that airfares to some destinations in Asia have also fallen and perhaps this is due to more players entering the market. Good for those who travel because there is money to be saved here. Promotional prices for business class tickets have also fallen, because when travelling long distances it is nice to travel comfortably.
12 June 2017 - 11:37
Helena says:
Surely it feels positive that our destinations in the north attract tourists! It is actually the case that we have something very special and exotic to offer up north in our Nordic countries 🙂.
12 June 2017 - 21:27
Henny says:
Sitting in the charter bus on the way home from Dalarna to Norrbotten. Buy Aftonbladet in the kiosk in Docksta and discover that there is a supplement about camping and a very good double-page interview about you. So funny? Good work.
Now I will read your blog and the rest of the magazine.
12 June 2017 - 15:36
Helena says:
Glad you found the article, Henny! And thanks for reminding us! We had forgotten that it was today, but now we went and bought Aftonbladet 🙂.
12 June 2017 - 21:39
Linda, 155cm.se says:
Fun read, thanks for news I didn't know about
12 June 2017 - 19:26
Helena says:
Glad you like our news! 🙂
12 June 2017 - 21:40
BP says:
So buying Likes must be a really bad joke after all. Oh, my God...
However, I think the fact that tourism in the north has increased is really gratifying. Great!
PS. The header image is absolutely fantastic!!! DS.
12 June 2017 - 20:39
Helena says:
I'm glad you like the header picture, it's from the helicopter ride 🙂 And buying likes ... well, from a vending machine is new, but people buying likes online is unfortunately neither new nor a joke even though it may sound like it. At a time when successful bloggers/instagrammers can make some sort of career, some are willing to pay. Unfortunately, it gives bloggers and Instagrammers a bad reputation when some people engage in abusive behaviour ...
12 June 2017 - 21:47
Åke says:
Great for tourism to the northern part of the greater Sweden.
We can't let this beautiful countryside die out!
I fondly remember a summer job in Jukkasjärvi with rafting, but that was a few years before they came up with the ice hotel.
Norrlands Åke in Lund.
12 June 2017 - 22:30
Helena says:
Fun with a summer job with rafting! We tried rafting in Vindelälven once - really cool! (I almost thought it was TOO scary haha, but we had a fun experience).
13 June 2017 - 7:00
Elisabeth says:
How wonderful that the number of visitors to the north is increasing. There is a lot of eye candy to enjoy!
13 June 2017 - 6:29
Helena says:
Yes, indeed! And I can imagine that that nature is also exotic for many foreign visitors 🙂.
13 June 2017 - 7:00