Sudipta Dev – Mumbai
The fact that the new age Indian traveller is willing to explore unique experiences in new destinations is reaffirmed by the interest that all the three countries in Scandinavia have witnessed in recent years. Acknowledging that Sweden, Norway and Denmark have seen significant growth, Mohit Batra, Indian representative, Scandinavian Tourism Board revealed, “While Denmark has shown a growth of 30 per cent, Sweden has close to 20 per cent on a much higher base, Norway we do not account the numbers however the growth has been equally notable.”
Unique tourism aspects of the region’sa highlights include the Fjords, the Northern lights, midnight sun, heritage, Nordic cuisine, sustainable living, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Sami Culture and the Vikings. “The capitals of Scandinavia – Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo have their own distinct experiences – attractions, museums, culture, architectures and design, and most importantly sustainable living,” added Batra.
Day visits from these capital cities offer a wide range of exciting experiences, for instance from Copenhagen a trip to Odense the birthplace of Hans Christian Anderson, Roskilde one of the oldest cities of Denmark where tourists can go sailing like a Viking. “We have observed that the Indian traveller today is seeking to travel to very small villages to admire nature and experience local cuisine. Another trend we have observed is that Indians are handpicking destination and combining them with locations which are not geographically neighbouring countries,” he mentioned. The main growth has come from markets like Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, and Bengaluru. “Our aim is to raise awareness of the Scandinavian region at large – but also raising awareness of what each individual countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden have to offer,” averred Batra, pointing out that Scandinavia is as an ideal destination for group, family and solo vacations.