Stop what you are doing, pack your bags and book a flight to Sweden now.
Oh, I am sorry, did you even need a reason to do that? Beyond the fact that the country has some handsome blonde-hair, blue-eyed beauties, you can be a ‘Dancing Queen’ or step into a historic world of blood thirsty Vikings.
Well there is another reason, as the Scandinavian country continues to wow us with unique ways to promote tourism, this time listing the entire country on Airbnb.
We recently saw Sweden add themselves in the phone book with the ‘Call a Swede’ hotline, which puts tourists in direct touch with locals. Now, from the southernmost Smygehuk headland to the wilderness around the Three-Country Cairn in the north, through a ‘freedom to roam’ stance, the entire country of Sweden is opening its doors to tourists.
Beyond hot tall blondes, ABBA, Ikea and meatballs, Sweden is famous for its openness and these days the little Nordic country is a diverse place that welcomes people with all sorts of different views and backgrounds. Backing this, Visit Sweden, Sweden’s official tourism board, has partnered with Airbnb to turn the entire country into an Airbnb listing.
Tourists visiting Sweden don’t even have to officially book accommodation because all publicly owned land is entirely free and accessible to everyone! Yes, you heard right, every lake is your infinity pool, every mountaintop your granite terrace, every meadow becomes a garden and every forest a pantry filled with mushrooms and berries.
Start your morning with a bike ride across open fields and by lunchtime you can trek through challenging mountain terrain. Come evening, should you want an upgrade, you do not need to ask anyone, just find the best location that suits you and your mood.
Okay, so technically you can’t just walk up to the first house you come across in Sweden and expect to stay the night. Check out the video to get a better understanding of how the country is listed on Airbnb.
Visit Sweden, USA Country Manager, Jenny Kaiser said the campaign had been made possible thanks to a Swedish right guaranteed by the constitution – freedom to roam.
“This right enables the Swedish people to experience nature and enjoy the beautiful Swedish wildlife. In Sweden we have everything from high mountains to deep forests, from beautiful archipelagos to quiet meadows. Now, together with Airbnb, we welcome everyone to Sweden and, through freedom to roam, they can share our wonderful nature.”
Freedom to roam allows everyone and anyone to be free amidst Swedish nature with the right to access, walk, cycle or camp on any land. Only private gardens and lands under cultivation are an exception to the rule.
While the idea of free nature accessible to anyone is great, Swedes also ask tourists to be responsible. The general rule for spending time in nature is “do not disturb, do not destroy” – just like in any other home.