The Travel Fair and the Senior Festival in Stockholm – inspiration and meetings

Text and photo: Helena Bergström

There aren't many travel fairs for the general public in Sweden, so we usually take the opportunity when the Travel Fair and the Senior Festival are arranged in Stockholm. We have visited the fair many times over the years, sometimes as visitors and sometimes as exhibitors or lecturers. For us it is a nice opportunity to find new travel inspiration, meet partners and talk travel with other enthusiasts.

The Travel Fair and the Senior Festival – two fairs in one

The Travel Fair and the Senior Festival are marketed as two different fairs, but are arranged together. Here, travel companies and tourism organizations come together with exhibitors who target a target group over 55 years of age, with everything from health and leisure to various products and services.

On our last visit, in October 2026, the fairs were held at the Annex at the Globen in Stockholm. The venue was a little smaller than the Stockholm Fair in Älvsjö, where we had visited the fair in previous years. Even though the fair is not very big, we like it. It is a nice mix of exhibitors, lectures and people who are curious about new experiences.

There were quite a few people there, the atmosphere was good and we met many friends and acquaintances. For those of us who work with travel, it is also a valuable opportunity to meet other travel writers and people in the travel industry.

Destinations, tour operators and new ideas

At the Travel Fair, you have the opportunity to speak directly with representatives of different destinations and travel companies. This is something we appreciate. You can ask questions, get tips and perhaps discover destinations that you haven't previously thought much about.

This time we spoke with representatives of, among others, Cyprus and Portugal, two countries we have visited before and would love to return to. We also met several other acquaintances from the travel industry and got a lot of new ideas.

Among other things, we were a little extra inspired to see more of China, after a conversation with a travel agent. It's often like that with travel fairs – you come there with certain thoughts and leave with a few more travel dreams!

Uzbekistan offered inspiration from the stage

One of the highlights of our recent visit was Uzbekistan's presentation on stage. The country is close to our hearts after several fantastic trips, and we always find it fun to meet the representatives of Uzbekistan.

During the presentation, Uzbekistan's ambassador Rakhmatulla Nurimbetov spoke about the country, and showed an inspiring film with beautiful environments and experiences from Uzbekistan. A little surprisingly, we were invited on stage ourselves at the end of the presentation and got to say a few words about our experiences. Fun!

We talked about how friendly and welcoming the people are, how safe we have felt during our travels, and the wonderful atmosphere in the restaurants, where it is not uncommon for guests to start dancing. We also took the opportunity to highlight all the beautiful crafts, from silk to ceramics.

Uzbekistan is a country that has really made a strong impression on us, and it was fun to share some of our enthusiasm. The Uzbekistan stand was also well-attended. At times it was really crowded with all the people who wanted to talk, ask questions and find out more about the country.

We have also been exhibitors and lecturers

We have been visiting the Senior Fair in Stockholm since 2016, and for several years we have also participated as an exhibitor. In 2022, 2023 and 2024 we had our own stand where we talked about FREEDOMtravel, met readers and talked travel with both old and new acquaintances. On one occasion we also handed out our printed travel magazine, which we published for two summers.

We have also, in previous years, held several lectures at the fair. Among other things, we have talked about Finland and Åland, exciting islands and cities in Europe and fantastic nature experiences. It has been intense but very fun days, and above all we remember all the nice meetings with people who share our interest in travel.

Visit the Travel Fair and the Senior Festival in Stockholm

We think that the Travel Fair and the Senior Festival are worth a visit for anyone who wants travel inspiration and at the same time discover other exhibitors, listen to lectures and maybe get some new ideas.

It's not a huge trade fair, but it doesn't have to be. We appreciate the opportunity to meet people, talk to representatives of different destinations and get inspiration for future trips. And for us, it's always extra fun to see acquaintances from the travel industry again.

The Senior Festival is held every year in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö, while the Travel Fair is held together with the Senior Festival in Stockholm. The fairs in Stockholm have previously been held at the Stockholm Fair in Älvsjö, but in 2026 it will be held in the Annex at the Globen. Current dates, locations, exhibitors and programs for future fairs can be found at Senior Festival website and Travel fair website.

Have you visited the Stockholm Travel Fair or the Senior Festival? Did you find any exciting destinations that you were particularly curious about?