Friendliest city and strongest brands

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Monday again and a new week is upon us! As usual, here at FREEDOMtravel we present travel news with a focus on travel, tourism and camping. Stay tuned!

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Summer tourism remains strong in Sweden

The number of guest nights in commercial tourist accommodation in Sweden in June, July and August totalled around 30 million and is at a stable level compared to the last two years. Compared to last summer, the number of guest nights increased by one per cent and five counties achieved record results. This is according to new statistics from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.

When it comes to Swedish guest nights at campsites, there is great variation between counties. Södermanland, Värmland and Västmanland had 17 per cent more Swedish camping guests compared to the summer of 2023. In Blekinge, Norrbotten and Stockholm counties, on the other hand, there was a decrease of 17 per cent in total.

Stockholm named friendliest city in Europe

The world's most prestigious travel magazine, Condé Nast Traveller, has announced the winners for 2024 in the Readers' Choice Awards, across a range of categories. In the 'Friendliest City in Europe' category, Stockholm won. According to the citation, Swedes are "open-minded, polite and happy". They also recognise the concept of 'fika' and art in the Stockholm metro.

Europe attracts Swedish autumn holiday travellers

Travel agency Tickets' latest booking statistics reveal that European destinations are attracting the most Swedes during the autumn holidays in 2024. London continues to be the most popular destination, while Cyprus and Paris are experiencing strong growth in bookings. Tenerife has also made it onto Ticket's top 10 list with an impressive 53 per cent increase. The 10 most booked autumn holiday destinations:

1. London, United Kingdom
2. Paris, France
3. Gran Canaria, Canary Islands
4. Larnaca, Cyprus
5. Berlin, Germany
6. Barcelona, Spain
7. Malaga, Spain
8. Tenerife, Canary Islands
9. Rome, Italy
10. Nice, France

TUI launches Calabria - new holiday destination in southern Italy

Next summer, it will be possible to discover more of the real Italy with TUI. From May, the travel operator will launch a new charter route with direct flights to Calabria - the region that enchants visitors with its authentic Italian atmosphere and stunning views. Among TUI's offer in Calabria you will find charming Tropea, historically rich Pizzo and beach-friendly Capo Vaticano, known for its beautiful beaches.

TUI expands range with low-cost airlines

TUI's Swedish customers will now have more choice and flexibility when booking a package holiday from Stockholm-Arlanda and Copenhagen-Kastrup. This autumn, TUI is introducing several new connections with low-cost airline easyJet, further connecting the travel operator to Europe with more direct flights and more flexible travel lengths. In addition, TUI is expanding its existing offer with Eurowings and allowing customers to choose whether they want to book their package holiday with or without checked baggage.

Sweden's first Walk of Game inaugurated in Skövde

On 3 October 2024, the inauguration took place Walk of Game in Skövde. On Rådhusgatan in the centre of Skövde, you can now walk on Skövde's own version of the Walk of Fame - with a focus on computer games, of course. Five games from Skövde are now being honoured with a bronze plaque each. The criteria for being on the Skövde Walk of Game are:

• At least 3 million copies sold or 15 million downloads
• The majority of the game will be developed in Skövde
• Original idea

Events in Sweden this autumn

Of course, things are happening in Sweden this autumn! Here are some tips:

• 11 October: During the Culture Night in Landskrona, two new exhibitions are presented, one on punk photography and one on furniture design.
• 12 October: Växjö Beverage Festival at KÖK11 in Växjö. There will be exhibitors serving samples of different drinks.
• 29-30 October: Halmstad Theatre organises two ghost walks, one scarier and one less scary.
• 29 October - 3 November: Jönköping Horse Show - the obvious meeting place for horse enthusiasts.
• 8-10 November: Stockholm Food & Wine and Bak & Choklad, at Stockholmsmässan in Älvsjö.

SAS flies to Sälen /Trysil from Ängelholm Helsingborg Airport

Starting on 25 January next year, SAS - Scandinavian Airlines will take over the route between Ängelholm and Sälen/Trysil. SAS will fly once a week, on Saturdays, until 22 March 2025. In 2024, BRA will operate the route twice a week, starting on 22 December.

Sweden's strongest brands 2024 crowned

Systembolaget is named Sweden's strongest brand in 2024, in this year's edition of the Evimetrix Swedish Brand Award consumer survey. Approximately 4,500 randomly selected individuals have expressed their opinions on over 410 brands in 35 categories. Here are the winners in some of the categories, related to travel and tourism:

• Overall winner: Systembolaget
• Car brands: Toyota
• Car parts and workshops: Biltema
• Fuel chains: Circle K
• functional clothing: Fjällräven
• National and international car hire: hertz
• Amusement attractions: Astrid Lindgren's World
• Activity and movement centres: Leo's Lekland
• Travelling: Ving
• Other trade: Gekås Ullared

Reflection of the week

We travelled a lot in Sweden this summer and it certainly felt like summer tourism was intense! It's a bit surprising that some regions actually reduced their tourism... Weather? Too little investment? Something else?

Did you miss the last travel news? Read the Ghost walks, travel fair and hotel vibe

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