Record number of foreign visitors in Sweden

juni 27th, 2012

More and more foreign tourists are visiting Sweden. The export value, as measured by foreign visitors’ consumption in Sweden increased by 9.3 percent in 2011 and has grown by 143 percent since 2000. Tourism revenue increased by 6.4 percent to 264 billion SEK in 2011.

Tourism is also labor intensive. Since 2000 the sector contributed with 31 500 new jobs, representing an increase of around 24 percent. This could be compared with the total employment increase in Sweden that has been about seven percent during the same period. In 2011 more than 162 000 people in Sweden were employed thanks to the tourism sector.

Tourism exports (foreign visitor’s consumption in Sweden) have increased in importance, for an export-dependent country like Sweden. Between 2000-2011, the tourism value of exports (as a share of Sweden’s total exports of goods and services) increased from 3.9 to 5.7 percent. In 2011, tourism was the value of exports, with 98.8 billion dollars, about 45 percent higher than the iron and steel exports and more than twice the value of the Swedish car export.

- According to international estimates, the global travel continue to grow and Sweden is well placed to take advantage of this growth. We have beautiful destinations and attractions. Nature and culture in processed form is what both leisure and business travelers are expected to ask for, says the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth Director general Christina Lugnet.

For additional information, please contact:

Christina Lugnet, Director general
Tel. +468 681 91 10

Peter Terpstra, Tourism analysts
08-681 92 31

(Source: www.tillväxtverket.se)