15 international journalists visited Gothenburg on Thursday to learn about the city’s open attitude and sharing culture in business and in the hospitality industry. During the day they visited AstraZeneca, Lindholmen Science Park and were given a guided tour of central Gothenburg.

“Gothenburg always has something interesting to offer visitors, and today we have fantastic weather as well. Self-driving cars are a hot issue right now and there are lots of questions the average person wants answers to, so I hope we will get some answers today,” said journalist Irina Dergacheva during a visit to Zenuity.

The visit is part of an initiative taken by Göteborg & Co and Business Region Göteborg. Together, they have engaged with businesses and the hospitality sector in Gothenburg with the aim of welcoming international visitors and sharing stories of what the Gothenburg region has to offer.

“We are doing this to raise the international profile of Gothenburg and establish it as one of the most rapidly expanding metropolitan regions in Europe. The hospitality industry, trade & industry and academia are all experiencing a tremendous phase of growth,” says Stefan Gadd, Press & Corporate Communications Manager at Göteborg & Co.

One part of the project, known as Gothenburg Open Source, involves highlighting openness as a unique asset in Gothenburg. This was the reason for inviting foreign correspondents from various countries who are based in Stockholm on a one-day study trip. The ambition for the future is to get greater involvement among businesses and the hospitality sector, to raise international awareness of Gothenburg’s appeal as an innovative, open and creative city.

“Our mission is to strengthen the business development potential of Gothenburg, while Göteborg & Co is responsible for marketing the destination. These two tasks go hand in hand, and it will become increasingly important to trade & industry that the city is an attractive place to invest in and live in,” says Maria Leffler from Business Region Göteborg.

Around SEK 1000 million will be invested in Gothenburg by the year 2035 and the city will see considerable growth in housing and employment. One of the goals of Gothenburg Open Source is to encourage more people to experience the city and its atmosphere of openness and sharing culture, which makes the city feel bigger than it actually is.