Sweden is at the top in ecotourism. This was determined by the American environmental organization Earth911, which listed the world’s best destinations for tourism. We have the legal right of access to private land, which in principle means that everyone residing in the country has access to these lands. The next challenge will be to show that Sweden is more than beautiful nature and the legal right.
Swedish nature tourism and ecotourism are growing and gaining an ever greater local importance for new jobs and companies in the countryside, while the industry’s companies with their innovative experiences increase Sweden’s international attraction and visibility as well as attract travelers from all over the world. Eco tourism forms an important group of entrepreneurs who make active choices and efforts to contribute to the global sustainability goals and protect nature by taking into account the destination’s ecological limitations.
Good availability of wildlife and wilderness are things that make Sweden a top destination for people who want to travel in nature while not harming the environment. Other reasons are the easily accessible nature and the freedom that the legal right of access provides, which attracts many visitors. In addition, Sweden is a safe country to travel in with a good infrastructure.
One challenge for the sector is to get more people interested in nature to spend more money in and around exciting destinations for nature tourism. And to attract more than wilderness and common law. For example by getting the tourists to book accommodation, preferably a few extra nights at the location, and at the same time getting them to enjoy locally produced food. By, for example, adding guided tours, the hospitality industry gets a win-win situation, where the players earn more money, and where the tourists get to see new sides of Sweden.
A big opportunity lies in getting the companies in the same land, to cooperate more with each other, when it comes to for example offering accommodation in connection with visits. There is a need to promote communication and collaboration between ecotourism entrepreneurs to exchange best practices and encourage collaborative business ventures.
Author: Moa Nilsson, Companion Gothenburg.
