Want to know where Swedes are travelling this Easter? And where they not want to travel? We also tell you about the travel industry's April Fool's joke, about Destination Gotland's sustainability work and who has been named camping entrepreneur of the year. Last but not least - maybe you'll come up with the name of Viking Line's new ferry?
Table of contents
How the travel industry was cheated on 1 April
The travel industry found it fun to fool around this year on 1 April. Here are some examples of this year's joke news:
- TUI launched a new hotel concept, Kids & Friends, for children aged 6-11 only. Dessert for starters and breakfast for dinner.
- Ving reported on holiday scammer Julle, who managed to stay for free in a charter hotel for 40 years.
- Airtours launched virtual trips to the Mamma Mia island of Skopelos. "The 'journey' would take place on Sveavägen and last only one hour.
- Apollo expanded its "Live a little" concept with the possibility of dating a lovesick local or arriving at the destination by parachute.
- Rolfs Flyg & Buss focused on hot air ballooning, and at the same time changed its name to Rolfs Flyg, Buss & Luftballong.
Destination Gotland takes UN baton for sustainability
Destination Gotland accepts the challenge of owning the UN baton for sustainability in 2019. The baton was taken over from Imse Vimse, a clothing company with an explicit sustainability profile. Destination Gotland has tough environmental goals for the ship M/S Visborg and works with more environmentally friendly fuel, speed optimisation, so-called eco driving and top-trimmed machines. In the restaurants, local produce is served as far as possible, and the coffee cups are made of grass.
Camping entrepreneur of the year selected
The Camping Entrepreneur of the Year and other award winners have been announced at SCR Swedish Camping's annual conference. The most prestigious award went to the Lars-Göran Andersson family from Kronocamping Lidköping. "For almost half a century, this year's winners have worked to develop their campsite, always through purposeful work and further development, into the facility that today is worth visiting several times - all year round!"
Where Swedes are travelling at Easter 2019
New booking statistics from Hotels.com show that many Swedes will be holidaying in or near Sweden during Easter 2019. New York and Dubai, which were previously high on the list, have fallen in popularity. Here are this year's most popular destinations:
- London
- Stockholm
- Gothenburg
- Paris
- Barcelona
Swedes don't want to travel here for political reasons
According to a Sifo survey by Ticket, around 55 per cent of Swedes do not choose a holiday destination because the country has a policy or leadership they cannot support. However, booking statistics show that the experience and wallet often play a greater role than values when choosing a destination for a summer holiday. These destinations are most often cancelled due to political governance:
- Turkey (33 %)
- North Korea (19 %)
- Russia (18 %)
- Saudi Arabia (9 %)
- USA (9 %)
Name Viking Line's new ships
In two years, Viking Line's new climate-smart ships will start cruising between Stockholm, Mariehamn and Turku. But what should she be called? You can help find the perfect name for Viking Line's new "love child". If your suggestion wins, you will receive a cruise on the maiden voyage in a premium cabin including meals.
Did you miss the last travel news? Read the Breakfast favourites, flights to Budapest and donation to the Baltic Sea
Mrs Gunilla Fredriksson says:
Fun with April fools, Destination Gotland's cup of grass?sounds like an April fools joke too. I have guessed on Viking Line's boat so now we will see if I have more luck???
08 April 2019 - 11:44
Helena says:
One hopes that the cups are not horrible in any case 🙂 ðŸ™'
08 April 2019 - 20:50
Maria / Magnolia Magis says:
Our best !!! Natalie on the left in the picture of this year's camping entrepreneurs is such a nice hostess! The others are also nice but she is the one we had the most to do with! 😉 What fun! Yes it is a very good campsite, only we who want silence and nature. This is a little too close to the city for us. Otherwise very well maintained and nice.
Travelling at Easter... no but this spring I will be invited by my children to London! Their 50th birthday present to little mum! 😉 Sweethearts!
Where are you going? Besides the beach baskets?
08 April 2019 - 12:01
Helena says:
But what fun that you are familiar with the camping companies in the picture! It seems to be the right winner then 🙂 What fun with the London trip!!! Just in Easter we go nowhere (or maybe to the island of Ringsö where our friends have houses). Then it will be the Czech Republic and Kristianstad 🙂
08 April 2019 - 20:52
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
So fun to see that Lidköping's Kronocamping has received this fine prize. We have never camped there, but since the youngest daughter lives on the other side of the street, we have eaten at the restaurant and had coffee on playground visits with the grandchildren. We have sometimes joked that maybe we should stay at the nice campsite for a night ...
08 April 2019 - 12:59
Helena says:
We've stayed at a caravan park in Stockholm once, so why not? 😉
08 April 2019 - 20:53
Matts Torebring says:
It will probably become a New Year tradition for us to go to Kronocamping Lidköping. They are so good, they can't get any better. We see them as our friends along the road. At Easter I hope to enjoy a good Easter buffet in Kårehamn, Öland.
08 April 2019 - 19:13
Helena says:
How nice to hear that Kronocampingen is so good! It sounds like it's the right winner 🙂.
08 April 2019 - 20:54
BP says:
The April Fools' jokes were really funny, especially the Airtours joke, as I think people actually went to the address.
Easter travel destinations - totally agree. However, I feel sorry for the restaurant and shop industry in Turkey. It's the second time around that traders have been hit hard in Turkey. The common man cannot help the political regime there ...
08 April 2019 - 19:20
Helena says:
Yes, the tourism industry in countries with questionable political governance is indeed sad and tough. The people often can't help who is in power and what they do ...
08 April 2019 - 20:56
Goatfish says:
Go Lisch! So Lidköping! I have lived across the road for 20 years with this nice Kronocamping. Never camped there, no, our caravan went closest to Kinnekulle. Our German friends took in there when they visited us.
My job's veteran's club eats Christmas dinner at that campsite's restaurant Sjökanten every year, super good.
This was fun!
08 April 2019 - 22:30
Lena - good for the soul says:
Haha, what funny April Fool's jokes! I probably would have fallen for them if I had seen them.
Hug Lena
10 April 2019 - 6:03