Sweden Tourism Statistics

Page last updated: 11 October 2024

Renowned for its stunning natural beauty, rich history, and cultural heritage, Sweden has long held appeal for international tourists from different corners of the world. 

How many tourists visit Sweden every year?

In 2023, Sweden received 7.53 million international tourists.

• In 2019, Sweden welcomed approximately 7.62 million visitors, a 2.4% increase from the previous year. 

• However, COVID-19 emerged in 2020, resulting in decreasing international arrivals (1.96 million visitors). 

• A year later in 2021, tourism began to recover, with visitor figures growing to 2.99 million. 

• The recovery continued in 2022 when tourist arrivals increased to 6.63 million.

• Tourist numbers rose by 13.5% in 2023, reaching 7.53 million – just 1.2% below the pre-pandemic peak.

How many people visited Sweden in 2023?

• Sweden welcomed 7.53 million international tourists in 2023, exceeding the pre-pandemic figure by 1%.
  
  

How many people visited Sweden in 2022?

• Sweden welcomed 6.63 million tourists in 2022.

• This showed an increase of approximately 122% from 2021 and represented a recovery of about 87% of pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

How much do tourists spend in Sweden every year?

In 2023, tourists spent $9.9 billion while visiting Sweden.

• In 2017, tourists spent a total of $10.02 billion. The following year, 2018, saw a slight decrease in spending to $9.97 billion, and a more notable drop in 2019 to $9.17 billion. 

• The impact of the 2020 pandemic severely cut tourist spending to $4.35 billion. 

• Nevertheless, a recovery commenced in 2021, with expenditure climbing to $6.06 billion. 

• This positive trend persisted into 2022, with expenditures recovering to $8.96 billion.
  
• In 2023, international tourists spent $9.96 billion, exceeding the pre-pandemic figure by 7%. ¹

How much did visitors spend in Sweden in 2023?

• In 2023, tourists spent $9.9 billion while visiting Sweden. This exceeds the 2019 figure by 7% but is still slightly below 2017’s peak spending.
  
  

How much did visitors spend in Sweden in 2022?

• In 2022, tourist spending in Sweden rebounded to $8.96 billion.

• This spending represented a hefty 48% increase from the previous year and recovered about 98% of the expenditure seen in 2019 ($9.17 billion).
  
  

Where do visitors to Sweden come from?

• Most of Sweden’s inbound tourists come from neighbouring and nearby countries, with Germany leading with approximately 1.74 million visitors.
  
• This was followed by Norway (801,600), Denmark (645,100), the United States (581,300), and the Netherlands (487,300).¹

Sweden Travel Resources

Impact of Coronavirus – Sweden Tourism Statistics 2020 and 2021

• The pandemic led to a sharp decrease in Sweden’s tourism in 2020, with visitor numbers and spending falling to 26% and 47% of 2019’s levels, at 1.96 million arrivals and $4.35 billion in expenditure.

• In 2021, a modest recovery occurred, with arrivals at 2.99 million and spending at $6.06 billion, marking increases of 53% in visitors and 39.3% in expenditure from 2020. However, these figures remained significantly below those before the pandemic.

Top Attractions in Sweden

• The Göta Canal, Gothenburg to Stockholm: Often described as Sweden’s greatest feat of engineering, the canal offers a unique perspective on Sweden’s heartland.

• Northern Lights: Sweden’s far north is one of the top places in the world to experience the illuminating beauty of the Northern Lights.

• Gammelstad Church Town: A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this town is a living reminder of a traditional and rural Scandinavian village.

• Skansen: As the world’s oldest open-air museum, Skansen provides a glimpse into Sweden’s past with historical buildings and a zoo.

• Öland Bridge: Connecting mainland Sweden with the island of Öland, the bridge itself is a sight to behold, and the island hosts unique attractions including Iron Age burial grounds and old wooden windmills.

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References

1. OECD: Tourism Trends and Policies 2022 – Sweden ↩︎