Scandinavian countries Norway, Denmark and Sweden all feature in the top 10 nations with the highest per capita personal income in the world, making them a market waiting to be explored, according to Rosemary Hare, Managing Director of Hare & Ehrenberg Communication.
Hare was speaking at the launch of PR agency, Hare & Ehrenberg Communication’s, Cape Town office opening, which included a seminar at The Table Bay Hotel focusing on the travel trends of Scandinavians.
Commenting on the seminar, Rosemary Brossy, Group Sales Manager International for the Vineyard Hotel and Spa, De Ouwe Werf and the Townhouse Hotel, said: “We certainly have found that the Scandinavian market has supported us pretty strongly and I would be keen to grow this business at all three of our family hotels. This is certainly a market that we are looking at.”
According to Magnus Ehrenberg, owner and MD of Ehrenberg Kommunikation: “There are 45 000 millionaires in Scandinavia and most Scandinavians plan at least one international trip every year.”
Heike Gerntholtz, Marketing Manager of Rovos Rail, said the South African hospitality industry should regard Scandinavian travellers as a very important target market. Tourists from Sweden, Denmark and Norway account for 22,8 million trips internationally per year and spend between €100 and €150 a day on shopping, food and wine while travelling abroad.
According to Ehrenberg and Gerntholtz, Scandinavians prefer the three- to four-star accommodation options, with a five-star option ‘thrown in here and there’, are ‘green orientated’ and enjoy quality dining options.
Matthias Mies, Vice President of Ehrenberg Kommunikation, said it was of vital importance that there was adequate communication with target markets through public relations, networking and good representation in Europe.
