Scandinavian countries set their sights on attracting Indian tourists

Scandinavian countries, comprising Denmark, Norway and Sweden, are set to be launching new initiatives to attract Indian tourists to their region. STB (Scandinavian Tourist Board), collaboration between tourism boards of these three countries, will promote the region's popular attractions, such as language and beautiful landscapes. The Press Trust of India quoted Mohit Batra, STB India Representative, as saying that one of the primary reasons for Indians being attracted to the Scandinavian region is the language. He said that English was, however, spoken throughout the region and Indian food was available all over. India is said to be one of the three top source markets in Asia for tourism sector of Scandinavia. According to Batra, the number of visitors in Scandinavia was counted in ‘bed nights’, a measure of the hospitality industry of one individual spending one night. He said that they were looking at increasing the number of Indian visitors by 10 to 15 percent in terms of the bed nights in 2017, once awareness among Indians increases that Scandinavia is not too distant and what it offers tourists. These countries are also known for their sustainability and scenic splendour, added Batra. Flemming Bruhn, Visit Denmark Director, said that last year they had 72,000 bed nights from India and that they were expecting the number from this country to touch about 80,000 bed nights in 2016.He said that they expect this number from India to rise by 10 to 15 percent each year in the next five years. Lotta Thringer, Visit Sweden Regional Director Growth and Development Markets, said that Sweden was estimating a growth of about 15 percent by the next year. According to her, there were 158 thousand bed nights last year in Sweden. Thringer said this was due to the fact they offer a good product, acceptability for which was good. It is a mix of both pristine nature and modern urban facilities, besides opportunities for soft adventure. Thringer said that growth was being expected from India because of its burgeoning middle class and fledgling economy, which were making citizens of this South Asian country travel more. She added that a direct flight to Scandinavia would go a long way in achieving their targets. If you are looking to travel to one of these Scandinavian countries, contact Y-Axis and get the best possible assistance to file for a visa from one of its 19 offices in India’s eight largest cities.