Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry Statistics for 2008 – August 2009 Contents Stockholm – The Capital of Scandinavia .......................... 4 Stockholm in perspective ..........7 Stockholm’s international position......8 Stockholm’s position in Sweden ......10 Visitors to Stockholm...............13 Where visitors come from...............14 How visitors get to Stockholm..........16 Where visitors stay. .......................18 Commercial accommodation...........22 Leisure travel and business travel .....28 International meetings/conventions. 30 Visitor destinations in Stockholm ...32 Events in Stockholm ......................34 Stockholm on the water................35 How long visitors stay......... ...........36 What visitors spend.......................37 Economy and employment .... 39 Stockholm Visitors Board ....... 44 About the statistics .................. 46 Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry Stockholm continues to retain its position as ”The Capital of Scandinavia” and the engine of the Swedish tourist industry. Over the last ten years the number of guest nights in Stockholm has risen by 40 percent. 2008 saw a new peak of 9.6 million guest nights. And the first eight months of 2009 continue to show strong growth for Stockholm, especially in the leisure travel segment, which grew by 11 percent over the same period in 2008. This trend is clearly superior to that seen by other Scandinavian capitals. Success breeds success as is well known, but this doesn’t mean that we can rest on our laurels. In cooperation with the LFV (the Swedish Civil Aviation Administration), we are continuing our efforts to preserve and expand the number of international airlines coming to Stockholm. 2010 promises to be an extremely exciting year for Stockholm. It’s certainly not every year that we simultaneously experience the wedding of a crown princess, a big year for conventions, new attractions, new hotels and the honor of being Europe’s first environmental capital. Moreover construction is proceeding on a new event arena and improved infrastructure to be able to meet the challenge of the future: a world-class city. Traditionally the home market is the most important to Stockholm, and it continued to be so during 2008. A total of 6 million Swedes were responsible for overnight stays in the county. One overnight stay in Stockholm County out of three is by a foreign guest, and the percentage is increasing. Right now neighboring markets are leading this trend. There is also substantial potential for growth, and therefore we are making some additional efforts in our marketing to Norway, Denmark and Finland. Our intent for ”Data on the hospitality industry” is to collect the most important key figures while highlighting the importance of the hospitality industry. The foundation of all of our marketing is the brand “Stockholm – The Capital of Scandinavia.” Having a shared brand and communication platform is an asset as we market Stockholm together. We hope that reading this brochure will be rewarding for you! Peter Lindqvist Olle Zetterberg CEO, Stockholm Visitors Board CEO, Stockholm Business Region Chairman, Stockholm Visitors Board Stockholm – The Capital of Scandinavia There are many reasons why Stockholm is the natural capital of Scandinavia. Stockholm is the largest city in the largest Scandinavian country, and lies at its heart with world-class transportation. Stockholm is also Scandinavia’s economic center edge in the Cleantech sector. Stockholm has been with the largest gross regional product and the most nominated as Europe’s first environmental capital multinational companies. One of the world’s largest by the EU, beginning in 2010. Moreover Stock- ICT clusters, one of Europe’s largest biotechnology holm is Scandinavia’s trendsetting cultural city clusters, and Northern Europe’s financial center are with its unique selection of galleries and museums, also located here. Stockholm is also on the cutting international food culture, and music production. The three reasons that Stockholm is the capital of Scandinavia: 1. Stockholm is the natural center of Scandinavia – The Central Capital of Scandinavia The largest city in Scandinavia and its natural center World-class mobile and wired communications Stockholm’s ports are the largest meeting place on the Baltic Sea Several international airports World-leading academic institutions 2. Stockholm is Scandinavia’s economic center – The Business Capital of Scandinavia A center of innovation, with assets including ICT and world-class clean tech One of Europe’s largest biotech clusters The highest representation of multinational companies in Scandinavia Scandinavia’s leading financial center, with the largest exchange The largest hospitality industry 3. Stockholm is the trendsetting cultural city of Scandinavia – The Culture Capital of Scandinavia The Nobel Prize A center for music production International cuisine A unique selection of galleries and museums World-class design 4 Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry 2009 Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry 2009 5 Stockholm in perspective Fakta om besöksnäringen i Stockholm 2007 7 Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry 2009 7 Stockholm’s international position Stockholm is Scandinavia’s natural center, economic center and trend-setting cultural city. Stockholm takes its place in the top division, as one of Europe’s leading visitor destina- tions with the most visitors in all of Scandinavia. Stockholm’s hospitality industry holds up well in a Commercial overnight stays in Stockholm county European perspective. As a destination city, Stock- have risen without interruption for several years, holm belongs to the 40 major European cities that exhibiting strong average growth. Stockholm has make up The European Premier League, according also strengthened its position vis-à-vis the Scandi- to European Cities Monitor. Commercial over- navian capitals. In 2008 there were a total of 8.7 night stays in this group have risen by an average million overnight stays in hotels, hostels and va- of 5.3 percent per year from 2002-2007. Stock- cation villages in Stockholm County (9.6 million, holm stands out with higher than average growth including estimated unofficial statistics for camp- in this group, ranking fifteenth, which is the high- ing)*. This is a 5 percent increase in the county over est growth in Scandinavia. Valencia, Tallinn and 2007, and stronger growth compared with the cor- Prague were the cities with the highest growth dur- responding regions for Helsinki (+4%), Oslo (-1%) ing the period. *The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and Statistics Sweden assumed responsibility for camping statistics in Sweden in 2008. They have not released any statistics for camping yet. 8 Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry 2009 and Copenhagen (-2%). Stockholm strengthened Stockholm county has the largest share of commer- its position even further in 2009, exhibiting growth cial overnight stays in Scandinavia with 37 percent. in the first eight months, both overall (+0.2%) and Copenhagen (the regional capital) comes in second for foreign visitors (+1%). place with 26 percent, followed by Oslo/Akershus with 19 percent and Helsinki with 17 percent. Diagram 1. Commercial overnight stays in the Nordic capitals, 2006–2008, 2008 8M–2009 8M Source: Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and Statistics Sweden, Visit Denmark, Statistics Norway, Statistics Finland 2006 2007 2008 2008 8M 2009 8M 10,000 8,000 6,000 4,000 2,000 0 Stockholm1 Copenhagen2 Oslo3 Helsinki4 Table 1. Commercial overnight stays in the Nordic capitals, 2006–2009 8M Source: Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and Statistics Sweden, Visit Denmark, Statistics Norway, Statistics Finland Number Change, % 2006 2007 2008 2008 8M 2009 8M 2007 2008 2009 8M 1 Stockholm 7,862,567 8,297,756 8,707,347 5,896,041 5,909,403 5.5 4.9 0.2 2 Copenhagen 5,967,602 6,168,093 6,035,125 4,227,783 3,851,182 3.4 –2.2 –8.9 3 Oslo 4,314,974 4,505,011 4,446,883 3,034,286 2,949,551 4.4 –1.3 –2.8 4 Helsinki 3,617,165 3,875,483 4,045,611 2,755,248 2,608,432 7.1 4.4 –5.3 1 Stockholm county 2 Region Hovedstaden 3 Oslo/Akershus 4 Helsinki, Espoo och Vantaa Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry 2009 9 Stockholm’s position in Sweden Out of all overnight night stays, just over half take place in the metropolitan counties of Stockholm, Västra Götaland and Skåne. Just over one overnight stay in four in the country takes place in Stockholm county. In 2008 the number of overnight stays in hotels, metropolitan counties. The number of commercial hostels and vacation villages in Sweden grew by 2 overnight stays has also grown faster in Stockholm percent to just over 32 million. The metropolitan than in the rest of the country and the other metro- counties of Stockholm, Västra Götaland and Skåne politan counties in a 10-year perspective as well. together represented just over 17 million, or 52 per- The number of overnight stays in hotels, hostels and cent of the total overnight stays nationwide. Over vacation villages was unchanged in Sweden during the last ten years Stockholm county has represented the first eight months of 2009. On the other hand, close to one out of four overnight stays nationwide, the metropolitan counties and especially the cities while 15 percent were attributable to Västra Göta- have demonstrated growth. In Skåne the number land county and 10 percent to Skåne county. Un- of overnight stays grew by 4 percent, and in Stock- fortunately no camping data is available for 2008. holm county and Västra Götaland they grew slight- In 2008 growth in Stockholm county – and even ly in comparison with 2008. Meanwhile the large more so in the city of Stockholm – was significantly cities grew by 3 percent in the city of Stockholm, 7 higher than in both Sweden as a whole and the other percent in Malmö and 1 percent in Gothenburg. 10 Facts about Stockholm’s tourism industry 2009 Diagram 2.