Increased interest in “Staycations” and Nature Experiences according to Google data

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) has the world in its grip, and there is great uncertainty about the upcoming summer holidays. Fresh data from Google, however, shows an increased interest in nature experiences as Swedes plan their holidays at home in 2020. We predict that this summer will be characterized by a “boom” in staycations and an apparent rise in interest in outdoor activities and nature experiences.

Travel in times of Covid-19

Few can have missed that the pandemic completely paralyzed travel, both between countries and within Sweden itself. The fear of being infected, or infecting others, has closed borders, and the Public Health Agency of Sweden has been clear that people should forget about going abroad this summer. Many seem to have accepted this, judging by the development of air travel over the past five years:

Other voices at the EU Parliament level are talking about trying to ease travel within the EU during the summer. In other words, it is highly uncertain what will actually happen.

One thing that is certain is that the tourism industry is bleeding. On Thursday, April 23, 2020, the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce announced that, according to their calculations, Sweden will lose 36 billion SEK due to the absence of foreign tourism — and this is only up until midsummer.

We want to avoid speculating about what will happen or what might be allowed this summer, but the desire to stay active seems strong among many people. This is something we have looked more closely at with the help of Google Trends.

In a smaller study of 2,200 travelers, conducted by Luggagehero.com, it turned out that 77% of them did not plan to change their travel plans for 2020, as long as neither their home country nor destination was under quarantine. (See the full study here)

Travel will, of course, depend on which restrictions are in place this summer, and there is still great uncertainty about whether entry into Sweden will be allowed or not. At the time of writing, the government has decided on an entry ban until May 15. What will happen after that date remains unclear.

It is not impossible that if the entry ban is lifted, combined with Sweden’s more liberal approach to handling the Covid-19 pandemic, we may see a fair number of foreign tourists visiting our long country. Not least to Stockholm, which, according to Professor Jan Albert in Infectious Disease Control, could reach a certain level of herd immunity by the end of May, making it the safest place in the country.

However, it is more likely — judging by the data we present below — that we will see a significant number of Swedes taking “staycations” within Sweden.

Bright Spots for Tourism in Corona Times

What we can see, when looking at trends in people’s search behavior, is that there are some bright spots for tourism in Sweden this summer, despite the ongoing pandemic.

By studying search trends and comparing this data with previous periods, we have concluded that the interest in vacationing at home — a so-called “staycation” — has increased as a result of the pandemic. It seems people have come to terms with the situation and are therefore searching for and planning activities for the summer holidays based on these new circumstances.

The conclusions we can draw from the trend data collected from Google are:

• Increased or stable interest in vacationing in Sweden from Germany.
• Decreased or stable interest in vacationing/traveling to Sweden from neighboring countries.
• Interest in “staycations” has reached new levels among Swedes.
• Swedes’ interest in nature-based activities and outdoor life has increased significantly.
• Despite the growing interest in activities, there is still uncertainty about where in the country people want — and will be able — to “staycation.”

Looking at the limited statistics available on bookings for outdoor activities, the Swedish Tourist Association reported that they are 3% above last year’s level for summer bookings. This somewhat supports our data, suggesting that there is indeed interest. However, we believe many are waiting to book until they know with greater certainty where and whether it will be allowed to travel within the country this summer.

When it comes to interest in otherwise popular tourist destinations in Sweden, Google data shows that places such as the West Coast, Gotland, Lapland, and the High Coast are seeing the same or lower levels of interest compared to last year. These destinations can likely expect increased interest if the recommendations from the Public Health Agency regarding domestic travel change. If the entry ban from other countries is lifted, they can certainly expect an additional influx of visitors.

We believe it is entirely possible that this summer’s winners will be the companies that can give their visitors a real experience — one that surpasses the dream of Spain, Greece, or Thailand. It is not at all unlikely that many Swedes will discover the advantages of vacationing and keeping active here at home instead.

We are convinced that Swedish tourists who choose to vacation within the country will feel like winners, not only because the Swedish krona is weak, but also because there is so much to discover in Sweden. This is especially true for those who normally travel abroad, who will now get the chance to discover new hidden gems right around the corner. Weather permitting, of course.

What travel trends can we see through Google Trends?

Since Sweden stands out globally as a country that has taken its own path in the fight against the Coronavirus (Covid-19), this has naturally led to great interest in Sweden as a nation. This does not necessarily mean, however, that the intention behind these searches is for people to plan a trip here, but rather that they want to learn more about the Swedish model and understand how we are handling this crisis.

For the purpose of writing this article, we have therefore focused on searches with the intention of traveling to or visiting Sweden, to see if there is an interest and desire to come here. For domestic tourism, we have focused on activities that have historically been popular experiences within Sweden.

By using Google Trends and comparing search trends with previous years during the same period, we hope to show whether there has been a change in our search behavior or not. We have also calculated an average for the development during the month of April over the past two years, to see how the interest has evolved over time.

The values indicate search interest relative to each other, where 100 is the highest, meaning the most interest. A value of 50 thus means that it is half as popular as the maximum of 100.

We have divided this into two categories: foreign tourism and domestic tourism.

Foreign tourism

For foreign tourism, we looked at searches from neighboring countries that normally have a tendency to visit Sweden, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark. Here, we chose to compare data from three different dates in order to identify changes and provide the clearest possible picture of any variations in the interest in traveling to Sweden.

Germany

Schweden Urlaub – Semester (vacation sweden) Sverige – Sökvolym: 12100/månad

Data points for the graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (34/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (45/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (62/100)

Average for the period:

• April 1–28, 2018 – 39
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 31.75
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 39.25

Comment: For “Vacation Sweden,” the trend curve for German searches shows an upward trajectory. Looking at the monthly averages for the same periods, the trend level in 2020 is about the same as in 2018. However, we can see an increase in interest compared to the previous year, 2019.
It is also worth noting that the interest in vacationing in Sweden is mainly concentrated in northern Germany.

Netherlands

Zweden Vakantie – Sverige (vacation sweden) Semester – Sökvolym – 2400/månad

Data points for the graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (48/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (24/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (34/100)

Average for the period:

• April 1–28, 2018 – 33.25
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 28.5
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 24

Comment: For “Vacation Sweden” in the Netherlands, we can observe a slightly downward trend, with a significant drop in interest compared to 2018. However, the latest week shows a slight increase compared to the same period in 2019. Looking at the monthly average in relation to the same periods in previous years, we can still see a decline in interest, although not a dramatic one.

Norway

Sverigetur – Sverige (vacation sweden) semester – Sökvolym: 70/månad

Data points for the graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (0/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (0/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (0/100)

Average for the period:

• April 1–28, 2018 – 0
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 0
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 51.75

Comment: Interest in trips to Sweden appears to have increased in Norway. However, it’s difficult to draw definitive conclusions about whether this is due to Norwegians wanting to travel to Sweden or simply general curiosity. The search volumes are not particularly high either. Searches related to “Camping Sweden” remain at the same low levels as in previous years. Looking at specific graphs around activities such as camping in Sweden, we can also see that these trends typically rise when summer is approaching or already in full swing. This suggests that Norwegians tend to travel to Sweden more spontaneously.

Denmark

Ferie i Sverige – Semester (vacation in sweden) i Sverige – Sökvolym: 880/månad

Data points for the graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (40/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (83/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (38/100)

Average for the period:

• April 1–28, 2018 – 30.5
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 46.25
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 24

Comment: Interest in vacationing in Sweden appears to be weaker compared to the same periods in previous years. Similar to Norway, interest tends to rise during the actual summer season but remains relatively low during the rest of the year. This may be because the distances are short enough that Danes don’t need to plan very far in advance to travel to Sweden.

USA

Travel Sweden – Sverige (vacation in sweden) Resa – Sökvolym: 1300/månad

Data points for the graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (39/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (30/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (70/100)

Average for the period:

• April 1–28, 2018 – 37.25
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 29.75
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 44.5

Comment: Interest in Sweden and travel to Sweden is surprisingly high in the United States. Among the countries we analyzed, where air travel is a necessity, the U.S. was the only one to show an increase in interest. Countries like Spain and the United Kingdom displayed relatively weak interest in traveling to Sweden. Actual tourism from the U.S. during the summer is probably unlikely, since flying is required and there remains considerable uncertainty around international flights. However, the interest clearly exists.

Domestic Tourism

As it looks right now, Swedes are preparing for what’s called a “hemester,” or “staycation” in English. This means vacationing at home instead of traveling abroad. For some, this won’t mean much of a change, while for others who normally prefer traveling abroad, it will mean finding new plans. In the graph below, we can see that interest in “staycation” has just started to pick up, probably because people are beginning to realize the limitations we will have to live with in the coming months.

(Hemester) Staycation – Search volume: 480/month

Graph values

• April 22–28, 2018 (25/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (50/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (86/100)

Average for the period

• April 1–28, 2018 – 19
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 31.75
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 78.25

Comment: As already described above, our domestic vacationing, or our “staycation,” will depend on the restrictions that will be implemented during the summer. The graph clearly shows that interest has increased significantly for staycations, and we can assume that Swedes are currently considering alternatives for their summer holidays at home in 2020..

Outdoor Activities in Focus

It’s been said, somewhat jokingly, that one of the symptoms of Covid-19 is an unexpected urge to spend time outdoors and explore. While it may be a joke, the Public Health Agency of Sweden has also encouraged people to spend time outside as long as they keep their distance — and it’s hard to imagine a better place to be outdoors than in Sweden.

It comes as little surprise that search trends for flights, train travel, and cruises have dropped significantly. However, we can see that interest in outdoor activities and nature experiences is on the rise, at least compared to the same period (April) the previous year. A prime example of this is the search trend for “Nature Reserve.”

(Naturreservat) Nature Reserve – Search volume: 12,100/month

Metrics for graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (28/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (55/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (97/100)

Average for the period

• April 1–28, 2018 – 32.75
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 42.25
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 89.25

Comment: It is for “Nature Reserve” that we can see the strongest trend in Swedes’ search behavior for activities. When urban areas are burdened with restrictions, it’s perhaps not surprising that people seek to leave the cities and head out into nature.

(Friluvsliv) Outdoor life – Search volume: 1,900/month

Metrics for graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (56/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (37/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (74/100)

Average for the period

• April 1–28, 2018 – 46.75
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 49.5
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 70.25

Comment: Searches for “outdoor life” are also clearly on the rise when looking at the average values. Of course, this is a general term and can mean many different things, but we’ve also seen increased interest in searches for stores that provide outdoor gear. The trend is therefore clear, and we are convinced that many Swedes have the ambition to spend time in nature, provided the weather allows it.

(Vandring) Hiking – Search volume: 2,900/month

Metrics for graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (33/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (45/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (48/100)

Average for the period

• April 1–28, 2018 – 33.75
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 40
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 43.25

Comment: Hiking is another activity that has surged during the season. Compared to the same periods in previous years, we can see that people’s interest in hiking is not just due to the nice April weather. This becomes even clearer if we look at the search volume for “hiking trails” (see below).

(Vandringsleder) Hiking trails – Search volume: 3,600/month

Metrics for graph

• April 22–28, 2018 (27/100)
• April 21–27, 2019 (35/100)
• April 19–25, 2020 (67/100)

Average for the period

• April 1–28, 2018 – 22
• March 31–April 27, 2019 – 35
• March 29–April 25, 2020 – 76

Comment: If interest in hiking has increased, it’s no surprise that searches for “hiking trails” have also risen. Both new and experienced hikers are likely looking for suitable trails for their first trip or to explore new areas. Whether the hiking takes place close to home or involves traveling further afield remains to be seen, but it’s safe to say that we’ll see plenty of hikers this summer—so don’t forget your map and compass (or GPS).

Destinations for Staycations

When it comes to destinations within Sweden that people are searching for, we don’t see any clear increases for any of the destinations we tested. Popular summer spots such as the West Coast, Gotland, Lapland, and the High Coast are all at similar or even lower levels compared to the previous year. This may be due to people not yet daring to plan trips outside their own region, since the Public Health Agency’s recommendation is not to travel within the country unless necessary.

(Lappland) Lapland: Search volume 8,100/month

Metrics for graph

April 22–28, 2018 (53/100)
April 21–27, 2019 (39/100)
April 19–25, 2020 (31/100)

Average period – April 1–28, 2018 – 27.25
Average period – March 31–April 27, 2019 – 42.5
Average period – March 29–April 25, 2020 – 29.25

Comment: As you can see in the graph above, interest in Lapland has indeed declined compared to the previous year, but it still remains higher than during the same period in 2018.

High Coast (Höga Kusten): Search volume – 22,200/month

Metrics for graph

April 22–28, 2018 (23/100)
April 21–27, 2019 (19/100)
April 19–25, 2020 (30/100)

Average period – April 1–28, 2018 – 24
Average period – March 31–April 27, 2019 – 21
Average period – March 29–April 25, 2020 – 22.75

Comment: Similar to the graph for Lapland, we cannot see either an increasing or decreasing interest in the High Coast when comparing the same periods in previous years. Interest in specific destinations will, in all likelihood, increase if and when the Public Health Agency’s recommendations allow us to travel within the country again.

Final Reflections

At the time of writing, Sweden is one of the freest countries in the world, thanks to the government’s strategy of trying to avoid shutting down the country and putting citizens into lockdown. However, this freedom comes with responsibility—the responsibility to follow the recommendations that the Public Health Agency has given and will continue to provide. This article should not be seen as encouragement to book trips within Sweden to maximize your “staycation” just yet, simply because interest in many activities seems to be on the rise. It won’t get crowded in the forest, trust us—we are an SEO agency based in northern Sweden, and there are more than enough forests here for everyone to keep their distance from one another.

Whether international tourism will come to Sweden this summer remains uncertain. Much will depend on the restrictions in place and how the pandemic develops in the coming months. If entry bans are lifted by summer, we will in all likelihood see an influx of foreign tourists, whose interest in traveling to Sweden does not seem to have decreased—in fact, quite the opposite.

Add to this the uncertainty surrounding other destinations that have just reopened, or are about to reopen. These places might reintroduce restrictions if it turns out that reopening societies too quickly causes new problems. Sweden could therefore be perceived as a safer destination, where issues with rebookings or unexpected new quarantines can be avoided. Not to mention Stockholm, which, according to Jan Albert, Professor of Infectious Diseases, could become a relatively safe place in Sweden if herd immunity is achieved.

No matter what the summer brings, we believe and hope that people will follow the recommendations, enjoy their staycations responsibly, and make the best of a difficult situation.

We wish you all a wonderful staycation!