A new and important journey for the best place in the world

What we do as individuals, just like what we do as an industry and society, affects the place and everyday life we ​​all live in. A responsible tourism industry will always work for the good of the local community. Because it is also our home.

To work for and as a responsible destination is to see it as a journey. We are here together because we love and want to develop this particular part of the world. And it is with respect for the place, for those who shaped it and for our future generations, that we take the next step.

We who live here now were not the first to arrive. And we will not be the last. In this work, for Sweden's Arctic travel destination, the goal is obvious: We will be best in class!

More than 20 years ago, in 2001, what is now the Swedish Lapland Visitors Board was formed - a business-oriented collaboration platform for cross-municipal cooperation with the aim of strengthening the conditions for the tourism industry and realizing the national and international potential of our common destination.

The list of our unique resources could be made long. Our rich Arctic cultural heritage, our traditions and traditional knowledge that we share with the world's travelers, Sweden's most alpine environments, the great national rivers, the first and largest national parks, natural phenomena, natural resources as well as nature itself are parts of our attraction. Here are university towns, industrial communities and village communities. From the mountains, via the river valleys, to the coast, an Arctic everyday life is lived in constant change between the seasons. Our rural and urban life, between midnight light and the northern lights. Our home.

There is something exciting about an Arctic cultural landscape that has changed so little, over thousands of years, that others get the experience of being here for the first time. It says something about a sustainable way of living, taking responsibility for the place as a resource for generations' quality of life and opportunities.

The fossil-free transition that is taking place within our traditional industries is helping to put us on the world map. In every way, we who live here are aware that all of this together is something unique. Of course, we are not turning a blind eye to today's challenges when shaping this strategic roadmap. Digitalization and the transition work linked to Sweden's adoption of the sustainability goals in Agenda 2030, together with the pandemic and other concerns, affect everything that happens.

But if I may, for a moment, dwell on what the tourism industry has achieved during the previous strategy period, the results are significant. Together, we have established ourselves as an international destination in the Arctic; through the industry's innovations and investments that have become new reasons to visit; through our international business network of tour operators who package and sell; through international press publishing articles daily; through advanced AI technology that enables our companies to reach new markets and customers in new ways; by creating award-winning brand communication in our own and external media channels that reach millions of travelers.

If there is something that we have managed to create and convey together, it is a vibrant and attractive Arctic everyday life for those who want to visit us, as well as for us who live here. During the last strategy period, we launched a much-talked-about social innovation, with the step from collaboration to cooperation between all municipalities within the destination.

Through the pioneering initiative Destination Capacity Building in Swedish Lapland, a new local and regional promotion structure was built. The project was followed up with Business Capacity Development in Swedish Lapland.

The tourism industry has had a fantastic growth journey and is now an established basic industry. We can all agree that tourism and tourism develop our society. Now we are once again in the process of creating new conditions for this collaboration.

An increased number of visitors is positive from many aspects. But it also means an increased load, which can create challenges. As a travel destination and industry, we do not only need to aim at what we can do for the visitor. The strategy also focuses on what the visitor can contribute to the sustainable development of the entire county. A responsible visitor makes conscious choices and in this way contributes to development opportunities on site. It is therefore important that the destination has a strategic roadmap that strengthens the conditions and enables regenerative development where the tourism industry creates new companies and more jobs, in a more equal labor market.

All so that we can have more attractive living environments that develop the county's villages, communities and cities. This not only attracts visitors from all over the world but also gives hope to young people and immigrants who want to create a future here in our home.

Together we will fulfill the new tourism strategy's challenging vision – to be the Arctic's most responsible travel destination. Welcome on an exciting journey!

Annika Fredriksson, CEO, Swedish Lapland Visitors Board