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International cyclists want to return to Östergötland
Lake Vättern and Östergötland are attractive destinations for international visitors, particularly cyclists. In a survey of international Vätternrundan participants, 96 percent said they would consider returning to the area for a holiday.
Lake Vättern and Östergötland are attractive destinations for international visitors, particularly cyclists. In a survey of international Vätternrundan participants, 96 percent said they would consider returning to the area for a holiday.
“This shows that international cyclists are an important target group in our international marketing efforts,” says Hanna Nord, Tourism Industry Strategist at Region Östergötland.
Every summer, up to 36,000 cyclists from 70 countries come to take part in Vätternrundan. Following this year’s event, all international participants were invited to complete a survey about their views on Lake Vättern and Östergötland as tourist destinations. The survey is part of a new collaboration between Region Östergötland and Vätternrundan, aimed at attracting more international visitors to Östergötland.
The report shows that many Vätternrundan participants take the opportunity to explore Östergötland and the area around Lake Vättern in connection with the event. Around half of the respondents said they stayed longer than necessary to explore the area. International visitors are particularly interested in historical attractions such as Vadstena, the Göta Canal and various museums. Larger towns and cities, as well as nature experiences such as Omberg and the shores of Lake Vättern, are also popular.
“In fact, around 30 percent stayed for five nights or more,” says Jessica Nilsson, Sponsorship and Communications at Vätternrundan. “This confirms what we hear when speaking to our international participants. Many choose to spend a week on holiday here as part of the overall experience.”
However, the potential is considerably greater. As many as 96 percent of respondents said they would consider returning to Lake Vättern and Östergötland for a holiday.
“This is proof that we are sitting on a goldmine and confirmation that Lake Vättern and Östergötland are truly attractive destinations for cyclists,” says Hanna Nord. “International visitors are also very familiar with the area. They tell us they would like to visit Vadstena, Linköping, the Göta Canal, Gränna and Jönköping.”
“More than 70 percent also said they would consider cycling the route around Lake Vättern. The four regions surrounding the lake are currently working together to have the route quality-assured in accordance with the Swedish Transport Administration’s criteria for National Cycle Routes.”
The findings of the report, The Lake Vättern Area as a Tourist Destination, will now be incorporated into international marketing efforts to attract even more international cyclists to Östergötland and the Lake Vättern region.
“One part of our collaboration is to promote Östergötland to our international participants,” says Jessica Nilsson. “And we are already well underway with this work. Based on the report, we have developed content for various channels to inspire even more visitors to discover Östergötland and Lake Vättern.”
For more information:
Hanna Nord, Tourism Industry Strategist, Region Östergötland, Phone: +46 10 103 65 34
Jessica Nilsson, Sponsorship and Communications, Vätternrundan, Phone: +46 70 515 58 90