The Nordic countries have a lot to offer as a travel destination — midnight sun and long days in the summer, northern lights in the dark season, happy people and, of course, stunning nature. More and more travellers are discovering the benefits of the North and choosing a holiday in Denmark, Sweden, Norway or Finland.
Recent figures from a representative survey in Germany show that Scandinavia has even overtaken popular holiday destinations such as Turkey and Greece. But there is also growing interest in the Nordic countries in other German-speaking countries, as well as in Belgium and the Netherlands.
The recently published tourism analysis (German source) by "Stiftung für Zukunftsfragen" (Foundation for Future Studies) shows that the destination "Scandinavia" is becoming an increasingly popular destination. For the analysis, 3,000 people over the age of 18 in Germany were asked about their travel behaviour and intentions.
The representative survey found that Scandinavia (in this case: Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland) is the third most popular European destination. While popular destinations such as Turkey and Greece lost percentage points, Scandinavia recorded an increase compared to 2022.
Professor Ulrich Reinhardt, Scientific Director of the Foundation for Future Studies, emphasises the positive image of Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway, which is also important for travellers. "Many travellers associate the Nordic countries with nature, safety, high quality standards, atmosphere and great hospitality," says Professor Reinhardt. Accessibility by car also plays an important role, because unlike other studies on this topic, the Foundation for Future Studies survey also includes self-organised trips.
There is also a positive trend in air travel. Many airlines have recognised the potential of Northern European destinations and have opened new routes to Scandinavia. For example, Eurowings has almost doubled the number of seats on offer compared to 2019. In addition to existing connections, the airline has added the route Hanover - Stockholm (Sweden) for the summer and the connection Düsseldorf - Kajaani (Vuokatti, Finland) for the winter. Lufthansa is also expanding its flight portfolio with direct flights from Munich to Trondheim (Norway) and Oulu (Finland). Widerøe opens the gateway to the fjords with a direct flight from Brussels to Bergen (Norway).
The tourism analysis of the Stiftung für Zukunftsfragen also shows that the desire to travel among Germans has generally increased again. The frequency of travel has returned to the pre-corona level of 61%, an increase of 3 percentage points on the previous year.
Spending on main holidays reached record levels in 2023, averaging €1,538 per person. This means that a family of four spent on average more than €6,000 on their main holiday.
Professor Reinhardt says that travelling is an escape from everyday life and a way to recharge the batteries: "It contributes to personal development and creates memories. Despite all the challenges, travel will therefore remain a central part of many people's lives in 2024, for which they are willing to spend a lot of money."
Families (75%) and childless couples (72%) travelled more often than average in 2023, while singles (50%) were more likely to stay at home.