November 19–21 saw the opening of IBTM World in Barcelona, well known as one of the world’s most important trade shows for business events. As usual, there is a Nordic section of the show, where Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands participate with nice-looking booths. Naturally, Sweden should also be there, and in a way it is, but only because Gothenburg, the country’s second-largest city, independently has taken care of what all of Sweden should have done collaboratively. And the city did so in a sustainable booth, built on-site by local craftsmen.
It is time to question the absence of the rest of Sweden here at IBTM World in Barcelona. It is time for Visit Sweden to stand up to decision-making politicians and explain that we must reinforce the country and its position as one of the world’s most important meeting and event countries. We’re not exactly talking about gargantuan sums to join in and show that we too belong to the same elite as the rest of our Nordic neighbours (if the Nordics were one country, it would lead the world statistics, while just a fraction of the size and population of the currently reigning champion: the United States). Even though Denmark is already a top-class meeting country, they have just invested almost €27 million to become even better (DKK 200 million). While Sweden, in turn, increased the grant to Visit Sweden by €0.43 million, after not having increased the grant for eight years. Of course, anything is better than nothing, but let’s just say that the Swedish investment doesn’t exactly convey the same level of commitment to the future as Denmark’s investment does.
Gothenburg enjoys the newly opened venue World of Volvo, the Nordic region’s largest hotel chain Strawberry continues to invest in the city, and Gothenburg & Co (including the Gothenburg Convention Bureau) is just getting stronger. But Sweden, as a whole, appears to believe that it is enough to simply exist. We must do what the Swedish national football team did: get a new coach and start investing in the offence. It won’t be easy. It may prove a bumpy ride. Changing the game from defensive to offensive will take time, but besides being more fun, getting the new model in place should lead to greater success.
Create a Sweden Convention Bureau, and do it now. Invest even half of what Denmark invests in the next five years. The Sweden Convention Bureau could very well be created in Gothenburg, where people still believe that congresses, conferences, and events develop individuals, universities, colleges, companies, cities, and the country and society at large. That is the very point of investing in meetings and events. It is great that hotels, restaurants, and taxis see a higher turnover, but the important thing is that the country of Sweden shows that we are involved in positively influencing the future. You don’t win Nobel Prizes without attending congresses and reaching out to the greater world. If anything, that is something we should know a thing or two about here in Sweden. Welcome to the future, those of you who care to join.
