Fewer trips abroad than in many years and more dreams of trains and holidays at home. Vagabond has recently released the Travel Barometer 2019, which both tells about travelling in 2018 and looks into the future. What do you think? What will Swedes' travelling look like this year and in the coming years?
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Travel Barometer 2019
Vagabond has published the Travel Barometer annually since 2010. This year the survey has been carried out in cooperation with the insurance company Europeiska ERV, by the analysis company Resurs. So, what does this year's survey show?
Swedes are travelling less
Swedes have been travelling more and more over the past decade, but in 2018 holiday trips abroad decreased for the first time in a long time. In 2018, Swedish adults made a total of 11.2 million holiday trips abroad, half a million fewer than in 2017.
The trips to Thailand has decreased from 427,000 in 2009 to 190,000 in 2018, with the most significant decrease being in journeys to Croatia decreased. The Travel Barometer shows that travelling is likely to continue to decline this year.
In the long term, we still travel quite a lot. Despite the decline, Swedes are making more than 60 per cent more trips abroad today than during the boom at the end of the 1980s.
Why are Swedes travelling less?
Although Sweden is in an economic boom with low unemployment, we are travelling less. Why is that? The Travel Barometer 2019 and the analysts behind the survey provide several possible answers:
- Media reporting on the environment and the climate impact of aviation
- Summer 2018 was extremely hot in Sweden
- The Swedish krona is weak
Some countries are increasing
Even though tourism from Sweden is declining to many countries, we are still travelling. sea to certain countries. Although many people say they avoid Turkey because of the political regime, statistics show that more and more people are travelling there. Other destinations that are on the rise are Denmark and the UK, The Netherlands, Cyprus and Greece.
Swedes want to travel more by train
Train journeys abroad are increasing, albeit marginally. The share of train travel abroad has increased from 2 per cent in 2016 to 3 per cent in 2017 and 2018, according to the Travel Barometer 2019. Almost 20 per cent of Swedes say they will travel abroad by train in 2019.
Where Swedes travelled in 2018
How Swedes travelled abroad in 2018
- Flight (65 %)
- Car or motorhome (20 %)
- Ferry (7 %)
- Bus (4 %)
- Train (3 %)
These are the countries Swedes opted out of in 2019
How Swedes stayed on holiday in 2018
- Hotels (58 %)
- Family and friends (12 %)
- Cottage/house/apartment on own (6 %)
- Cottage/house/apartment via agency (5 %)
- Bed & Breakfast/boarding house (4 %)
- Own holiday home/holiday apartment (3 %)
- Cruise ships (3 %)
- Camping (2 %)
Some reflections
The decrease in air travel in 2018 is perhaps not surprising given the hot Swedish summer. After all, it is easier to make environmentally friendly decisions when you have a nice summer at home.
The question is whether this will continue even in a cold and rainy summer? It is also possible that trains will increase slightly, but in order for there to be any real To make a difference, it must be easier to book trains in Europe.
When it comes to destinations, we think it's a shame that beautiful Croatia has lost tourists. Maybe prices have gone up a bit? Otherwise, we can really recommend the lovely Croatia, and also fine Albania!
What do you think?
What are your thoughts on the Travel Barometer 2019? What do you think about Swedish travelling? Will air travel continue to decline, or is this a short-term trend? Will trains become as popular as many say? Which destinations do you think will go up ... or down?
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Happy Campers says:
I think air travel will continue to decline and that more people will choose to holiday in Sweden and in Europe. But if it's a really bad and cold summer, I think flying will increase again to warmer latitudes during the winter months.
11 April 2019 - 7:26
Helena says:
We think like you! Closer travel destinations will become more interesting, both in and outside Sweden. But if it's a cold summer, many will probably long for warmth ... 😉.
11 April 2019 - 20:38
Lisa says:
I am pretty sure that train travel will increase due to environmental aspects. I myself travelled on the Trans-Siberian Railway almost ten years ago. I think it was a nice way to travel. On the train you can see nature whizzing by in peace and quiet and you can easily make contact. Believe in group travelling by train.
11 April 2019 - 20:46
Helena says:
Glad that you also travelled the Trans-Siberian! We also did it many years ago, an experience! 🙂
12 April 2019 - 17:46
Emma, Sol som sol? says:
I think the weather probably played a huge role last year. I also think that if train travel is going to gain ground, prices need to be better. Why sit on a train forever when I can get there in a few hours and at almost half the price by plane?
The picture of Peter in the train, it's really good! The beautiful landscape and the reflection in the window. Very nice! Maybe you can sell the picture to the mobile phone manufacturer! 😀
11 April 2019 - 9:16
Helena says:
I'm glad you like the picture! Yes, travelling by train is nice, but it takes much longer. And it has to be both easy and affordable ...
11 April 2019 - 20:39
Ann-Louise Paulsson says:
How strange that travelling to Croatia is decreasing. I long to go back there most of the time. 🙂 Otherwise, I also think that the hot summer was of great importance for the decrease in flights last year. Will be interesting to see how it will be this year.
11 April 2019 - 11:03
Helena says:
I also can not understand that travel to Croatia is actually decreasing, a wonderful country! Prices have gone up a bit so it can affect, but it is still reasonably affordable.
11 April 2019 - 20:40
Anna / boihusbil.se says:
I sincerely hope that air travel continues to decline. The fact that Denmark is high surprises me as the krone is really expensive compared to the Swedish one. But at the same time it is close, easy to take the train and perfect for cycling holidays which I think many people like now that electric bikes are so common. We go to Croatia in the autumn, we think 🙂
11 April 2019 - 11:04
Helena says:
We were probably also surprised that Denmark is so high, but it is close! Nearby destinations will increase in popularity, I think. Lovely with plans for beautiful Croatia! 🙂
11 April 2019 - 20:41
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
Like most people, I believe that last summer's wonderful weather contributed to fewer trips abroad. If it's a rainy summer this year, many people will probably defy their thoughts about reducing air travel and flee Sweden.
I think beautiful Croatia unfortunately loses visitors as prices rise. We were there in the low season and saw that many prices were doubled a couple of months later.
Unfortunately, travelling by train in Europe seems both expensive and cumbersome - otherwise a nice option.
11 April 2019 - 13:00
Helena says:
I think prices also have an impact in Croatia. We especially felt that Dubrovnik was expensive. However, I think it's quite affordable compared to e.g. Italy, right?
11 April 2019 - 20:42
Maria / Magnolia Magis says:
We also believe that flights will decrease and trains will increase. We just hope it can be easier and cheaper. Trains in Sweden you hardly dare to take as you do not know when you will arrive ... If you have nothing to pass, it may not matter so much, but if you are going on or have something booked, I no longer trust trains in Sweden. Too bad we think!
We also believe in more tourism at home. That is, tourism in your local area or within Sweden.;) We ourselves are so happy as we have it! We will get an annual pass at Sofiero and use the large beautiful park this summer. Both in terms of flowers, events and pick-nick under the trees. Otherwise, the Bjäre Peninsula is so beautiful that you do not want to leave!
11 April 2019 - 13:05
Helena says:
"I like travelling by train in Sweden, but it's true that you want to be able to rely on arriving on time. Tourism in the local area, both in and outside Sweden will probably increase, we think so too! Both Sofiero and the Bjäre Peninsula sound nice! 🙂
11 April 2019 - 20:44
Ditte says:
There are travel barometers and trends, but it is difficult to know what the final result will be. And it looks different depending on the survey. I don't care about trends at all but travel wherever I want. As for trains, it's a nice way to travel but it's expensive. For me, a simple ticket Stockholm. to Alicante would be at least 4000 SEK without sleeping places and seats. Here added about 1500 kr for it. So I choose flights and with companies that think about the environment. As far as Sweden is concerned, many collaborations will take place this summer so the uncertainty of arriving on time is great.
Interesting thoughts.
11 April 2019 - 15:10
Helena says:
I agree with you that it is difficult to choose the train if it is much more expensive. I also don't know if I would want to travel by train that far, but maybe to closer destinations in Europe. And of course you can think about which airline you choose!
11 April 2019 - 20:46
BP says:
I completely agree with Emma! Croatia has always been expensive, not least if you book one or two weeks in a hotel via Ticket, for example. Much cheaper to go to Greece for example. Albania probably needs a few more years to establish itself. The stigma of being a poor former eastern state is still there.
11 April 2019 - 21:19
Helena says:
I think Croatia is cheaper than Italy, for example, but certainly more expensive than Greece!
12 April 2019 - 17:47
Lite mera rosa - Cornelia Tonéri says:
I am absolutely convinced that the hot summer is the main reason why we did not travel as much.
And when it comes to Croatia, I think that the novelty has worn off a bit and also that there are more alternatives that you are curious about now that you may have already visited Croatia.
Interesting result anyway.
12 April 2019 - 15:12
Helena says:
The novelty factor may also play a role!
12 April 2019 - 17:47
Lena i Wales says:
It is interesting to see how Swedes travelled last year.
I have worked in the travel industry for about 30 years and seen all the ups and downs, but somehow the "old places" always come back.
I have had some trips to Wales cancelled this year.
I think the shame of flying is also a contributing factor to the fact that many people are tired of Brexit.
Travelling by train is great, but it is slow, difficult to book and very expensive, while flying is fast and cheap.
15 April 2019 - 12:52