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Sweden-Norway Study Trip

As I mentioned before, a great advantage of the Tourism Destination Development master’s program at Dalarna University is an opportunity to experience the real tourism businesses in Sweden by going on study trips that are part of the program. We’ve recently been on the longest and most exciting study trip to the SITE-region, also known as the Scandinavian Mountains. The trip covered 4 municipalities (Malung-Sälen, Trysil, Engerdal, and Älvdalen) located both in Sweden and Norway. Website: http://www.sitedestination.com/en/

The first destination was Kläppen Ski Resort in the municipality of Malung-Sälen in Sweden. We had a tour around the site on skis, learned about the facilities, production of artificial snow, and other information related to running the business. It was very enjoyable to ski there and some of our group members tried it for the first time! It was my second time of downhill skiing, but I still didn’t know the technique of turning to the sides to slow down. So, my first attempt to go downhill resulted into the speed of lightning with a couple of jumps on the way. The good thing about it is that I came first, but I will remember this short adventure for a long time 🙂 A lesson based on this experience: if you don’t know the technique of going downhill, better learn it first, because in the beginning it may seem flat enough for going straight, but then an unexpected steep slope may be awaiting you further, where it will be too late to stop. On the whole, the ski resort was probably my favorite part of the trip. It was great both to ski and to learn the details of running the tourist destination. Before the departure we had a quick lunch at the restaurant of the resort. The food was delicious and I would recommend eating there during the stay. Website: http://www.klappen.se/

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After the ski resort we travelled further to the municipality of Engerdal in Norway. On the way we passed ski resorts in municipalities Sälen (Sweden) and Trysil (Norway). On the border of Sweden and Norway there is a 2,000 sq. km. area of protected countryside, called Gränsladet. The area includes protected landscape, national parks, and nature reserves. There are tourist cottages available for rent, as well as activities, such as hiking, camping, canoeing, etc. More information about it can be found on the website: http://www.graenslandet.se/  It would be great to go back there in the spring for a couple of days to visit the national parks and enjoy the nature. Some pictures of the local nature:

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In Norway we stayed at Bryggeloftet, a small family-run hotel. We had dinner there and then spent the evening having a walk outside and socializing in the cozy reception area. In the morning the view from the window was amazing. I really like the mysterious foggy Scandinavian nature, especially when it is still a little dark before the sunrise. Website: http://bryggeloftet.net/

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On the way back we visited Renbiten, a small family business that owns reindeer in the municipality of Älvdalen. We had a short hiking trip with the reindeer and then spent some time inside of a Sami hut. The owner of the place told us about the Sami culture and about reindeer. We also had lunch prepared on a fire right in the Sami hut. Website: http://www.renbiten.se/

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Next we met with Visit Idre (destination marketing organization) and a STF (Svenska Turistföreningen – Swedish Tourist Association) representatives. You can visit their websites to learn more about what they offer: http://www.visitidre.se/    http://www.svenskaturistforeningen.se/

Finally, we visited STF Särna Turistgården, a destination run by a Dutch family. It offers both accommodation and activities throughout the year. The place feels like a big family house in the countryside. You can also check their website for more information:  http://www.turistgardensarna.com/

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5 responses to “Sweden-Norway Study Trip

  1. Pingback: Internship at Kläppen Ski Resort | Dalarna University