What Hotels in Scandinavia Should Know

From fjords and forests to design-conscious cities and cultural landmarks, Scandinavia – made up of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, has long drawn travelers seeking nature, sophistication and sustainability.

While historically seen as a summer destination for European tourists, the region has expanded its appeal year-round, thanks to winter sports, Northern Lights tourism and growing international interest.

In recent years, travel demand has steadily risen, bringing both new opportunities and fierce competition, particularly for independent hoteliers.

In this article, we’ll explore what the latest trends tell us about the state of travel in Scandinavia, compare the performance of independent versus chain hotels and unpack the regional competitive landscape.

We’ll also highlight how hospitality professionals can stay competitive by understanding emerging themes and making data-driven decisions, especially those running smaller, independent properties.

Scandinavia travel forecast

Scandinavia (which, as an aside, doesn’t technically include Finland) continues to attract strong and steadily growing visitor numbers, thanks to its unique mix of modern cities, unspoiled nature and progressive values.

Travel demand typically peaks between May and August, when long daylight hours, pleasant weather and popular festivals draw visitors to cities like Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo and Bergen.

However, winter travel, particularly in Norway and northern Sweden, is also on the rise, driven by interest in the Northern Lights and snow sports.

Denmark often leads the region in total international arrivals, largely due to Copenhagen’s accessibility and reputation as a cultural and culinary hub. Sweden sees strong demand from neighboring countries and domestic travelers. And dramatic Norwegian landscapes increasingly appeal to adventure tourists and cruise passengers.

Across all three nations, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands and the United States are key source markets.

While demand varies by country and season, the overall travel outlook for Scandinavia remains positive. Each market has its own distinct draw, and together, the region is positioned as a premium, sustainable travel destination.

Nordic travel trends you need to know

In 2025, the Nordic region is experiencing a significant shift in travel preferences, with visitors increasingly seeking meaningful, sustainable and immersive experiences.

This trend is evident in the growing popularity of ‘noctourism’, where travelers venture to destinations like Tromsø in Norway, to witness the Northern Lights and engage in nighttime activities such as stargazing and whale watching.

Sustainability remains a cornerstone of Nordic tourism.

Countries like Norway and Sweden are leading the way with eco-friendly accommodation and green transportation options. In Sweden, the concept of ‘slow travel’ is gaining traction, encouraging visitors to immerse themselves in local culture and nature at a leisurely pace, thereby reducing their environmental footprint.

Cultural immersion is another key trend.

Travelers are increasingly interested in authentic experiences, from exploring Viking heritage sites in Denmark to participating in local festivals and culinary traditions across the region.

Scandinavia is also attracting remote workers and digital nomads, drawn by safety, strong infrastructure and high quality of life. This is creating new opportunities for extended stays and off-season travel.

Additionally, the Nordic nations are capitalizing on their cooler climates, attracting tourists looking to escape the heat and enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, skiing and exploring the fjords.

This combination of sustainability, cultural richness and natural beauty positions the Nordics as a premier destination for conscious and adventurous travelers in 2025 and beyond.

How does Scandinavia compare to the rest of Europe?

Scandinavia’s hotel industry continues to show steady growth, contributing significantly to the economies of all three countries, but its pace differs from some of Europe’s most heavily visited regions.

While destinations like France, Spain and Italy attract the highest volumes of international arrivals each year thanks to their year-round appeal and dense concentration of attractions, Scandinavia typically draws a more niche audience. In 2024, for example, Denmark, Sweden and Norway combined welcomed around 20 million international tourists, compared to over 100 million in France alone.

Of course, this analysis doesn’t factor in the relative populations of these Scandinavian countries, which even in combination is much lower than France. And Scandinavia also outperforms in areas like traveler satisfaction, safety and sustainable tourism.

While warmer southern destinations dominate summer travel, the Nordic region’s cooler temperatures, pristine landscapes and progressive environmental policies make it increasingly popular for ‘coolcations’ and eco-conscious travelers.

What sets Scandinavia apart is not volume but value.

Visitors tend to stay longer, spend more per day and express stronger intent to return. As travel preferences evolve and travelers seek more meaningful, crowd-free experiences, Scandinavia’s slower, more sustainable growth model may position it as a future leader in European tourism.

Independent vs Chain: The most popular Scandinavian hotels

In Scandinavia, the hotel landscape is characterized by a mix of independent establishments and chain-affiliated properties.

Independent hotels are typically standalone entities, often family-owned, offering unique, localized experiences. In contrast, chain hotels operate under a unified brand, providing standardized services across multiple locations.

In Sweden, chain hotels have a significant presence, accounting for 21% of hotel properties and 51% of available rooms. Major domestic hotel brands like Scandic Hotels, Nordic Choice (now operating as Strawberry) and Best Western dominate the hotel market, collectively representing over 60% of total rooms. 

International chains have a more limited footprint in the region, with companies like Hilton and Marriott operating only a handful of properties.

Performance metrics indicate that chain hotels often achieve higher occupancy rates and revenue per available room (RevPAR). For instance, Scandic Hotels reported an average occupancy rate of 61.8% and a RevPAR of 799 SEK in 2024. While independent hotels may not match these figures, they attract guests seeking personalized experiences and local charm.

Despite the dominance of chains, independent hotels remain vital to Scandinavia’s hospitality sector, catering to niche markets and offering distinctive stays that differentiate them from standardized chain offerings.

The most popular independent hotel types in Scandinavia

In Scandinavia, boutique hotels, luxury lodges and high-end bed and breakfasts consistently perform well in the independent segment.

Travelers are drawn to these properties for their intimate atmospheres, personalized service, and strong ties to local culture and nature.

Boutique hotels in urban centers like Copenhagen, Stockholm and Oslo appeal to design-savvy guests seeking style and authenticity. Meanwhile, eco-lodges and remote B&Bs in fjordland or Lapland regions cater to travelers in search of sustainability, solitude and immersive nature experiences.

These properties align with major Nordic travel trends, which favor small-scale, experience-driven accommodation, such as interest in ‘coolcations’, slow travel and responsible tourism.

If your independent hotel highlights regional cuisine, local artisanship or wellness experiences (like saunas and spa treatments), it will also tend to attract discerning international guests. 

Your ability to create memorable, locally anchored stays gives them a competitive edge over standardized chain offerings in this increasingly experience-oriented travel market.

The biggest hotel chains in Scandinavia

Scandinavia’s hotel landscape features several dominant chains, with Scandic Hotels leading the market as the largest hotel operator in the Nordics.

Strawberry (formerly Nordic Choice Hotels) also holds significant market share, with a strong portfolio of brands like Clarion and Comfort.

Of the big international hotel chains, Radisson Hotel Group maintains a solid presence in major cities, while Best Western and Sokos Hotels offer broad regional coverage.

These chains benefit from strong brand recognition, extensive distribution networks and standardized service offerings, making them a popular choice for business travelers and tour groups.

Collectively, major chains account for a majority of hotel room inventory in urban Scandinavian markets.

What the competitive landscape looks like in Scandinavia

Scandinavia’s hospitality landscape is increasingly competitive, with strong performance across both independent and chain hotels.

Chains like Scandic and Strawberry dominate in major urban areas, offering scale, loyalty programs and predictable service that appeal to business and group travelers. However, independent hotels continue to thrive by capitalizing on demand for local, authentic experiences,  particularly boutique and design-focused properties.

These indie properties often outperform in leisure-heavy destinations, especially when they align with traveler preferences for sustainability, Nordic aesthetics and personalized service.

Room rates remain high across the region, especially in cities like Stockholm and Oslo, but so does guest expectation. The average length of stay is typically short – around two to three nights – driven by city breaks, cruise stopovers and tightly scheduled itineraries.

Beyond hotels, the competitive environment extends to airlines, cruise operators and travel agencies, all targeting the same influx of international and regional travelers.

With high demand from North America, Germany and the UK, every sector of the travel industry is working to capture attention, making differentiation, data-driven pricing and seamless distribution more essential to your strategy than ever.

What this means for hoteliers

For hoteliers and hotel owners in Scandinavia, staying competitive means adapting to a fast-moving, traveler-savvy market.

With strong demand from both domestic and international visitors and intense competition from chain and independent properties alike – your hotel must be highly strategic in how it positions itself.

That starts with marketing: your property needs to clearly communicate its value, whether it’s a hyper-local experience, luxurious design or business-focused convenience.

Pricing must also be dynamic and responsive to fluctuations in demand across seasons, cities and travel segments. Meanwhile, distribution strategies must be diversified; relying too heavily on OTAs can hurt profitability, while direct booking channels offer more control and better margins.

As the Nordic travel market grows more sophisticated, guest expectations are rising as well. Hoteliers must know not just who they’re competing against but what guests are really looking for.

That’s where having access to timely, accurate data insights becomes not just helpful but absolutely essential for making smart decisions.

Data insights help hoteliers stay competitive

For hoteliers in Scandinavia, where guest expectations are high and seasonal travel patterns vary greatly, using data effectively can be the difference between leading the market and falling behind.

Data empowers you to make smarter, more strategic decisions, from setting competitive prices to forecasting demand and targeting the right guest segments.

The most valuable data includes market demand trends, competitor pricing, booking pace, traveler behavior and distribution channel performance.

Together, these insights help you as a hotelier to tailor your offerings, optimize revenue and allocate resources efficiently. However, accessing raw data isn’t enough; hotels need tools that can translate information into action.

That’s where Lighthouse comes in, providing a simple yet powerful data driven tech platforms for independent hoteliers and chains and groups. 

We help hoteliers around the world unlock real-time insights and make data-driven decisions with confidence. 

From dynamic pricing and smart distribution to Business Intelligence and Benchmarking, Lighthouse helps you turn complex data into clear insights that drive bookings and improve profitability.

Keep up with travel trends to attract guests and drive bookings

Staying ahead of travel trends is essential for attracting guests and driving bookings.

Lighthouse empowers hoteliers with real-time intelligence, helping them make smarter pricing, marketing and distribution decisions.

By turning data into actionable insights, Lighthouse ensures independent and chain hotels alike can stay competitive in Scandinavia’s dynamic hospitality market.

About Lighthouse

Lighthouse (formerly OTA Insight) is the leading commercial platform for the travel & hospitality industry. We transform complexity into confidence by providing actionable market insights, business intelligence, and pricing tools that maximize revenue growth. We continually innovate to deliver the best platform for hospitality professionals to price more effectively, measure performance more efficiently, and understand the market in new ways.

Trusted by over 65,000 hotels in 185 countries, Lighthouse is the only solution that provides real-time hotel and short-term rental data in a single platform. We strive to deliver the best possible experience with unmatched customer service. We consider our clients as true partners – their success is our success.

This article originally appeared on Lighthouse.