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2008 VISITS FROM SWEDEN TO THE USA CONTINUE THEIR DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH

Overall figures from the U.S. Department of Commerce for March 2008 reflect a worldwide increase of over 15 percent over the same period last year, following on the heels of an 11% full-year rise in 2007. Western Europe tracked just below average at a still-healthy 14% increase versus 2007. The largest European market, the UK, increased much more modestly, at 6%. Germany, the #2 market in Europe-USA, tripled the UK’s increase, up 19+% in the first quarter. But, as with 2006 and 2007, it is the smaller Western European economies that are generating the greatest increases in USA-destined travel. Along with Sweden, markets such as Spain, Switzerland and Italy all far exceeded the Western Europe average. Sweden traffic to the USA was up almost 22%, to some 92,000 visitors in the first quarter, with month-on-month increases over 2007. Of note, the 19 consecutive months of growth has resulted in a 47% increase since January 2006 and more than 60% since 2004.

Provided by Birgitta Gardelius, Commercial Advisor
Travel & Tourism/Consumer goods, American Embassy