News about: Destination

Gothenburg is at the top among the world’s most sustainable cities for the fourth year in a row according to the Global Destination Sustainability Index 2019. This was revealed on Wednesday at ICCA World congress in Houston.

The GDSI was launched by MCI-Group together with the international organisation ICCA. On Wednesday October 30^th, Annika Hallman, Director at Gothenburg Convention Bureau, was able to accept the award on behalf of Gothenburg:

“In recent years, Gothenburg has taken a leading role and inspired other destinations to become more sustainable. We have lectured and received study visits from other cities and used our top position to drive the development towards a more sustainable meeting industry, as well as strengthening Gothenburg’s profile as a leading congress and convention destination”, says Annika Hallman.

The ranking was made for the first time in 2016 and this year the interest has been greater than ever, and the level of performance has improved. More than 50 cities and destinations participated and among the newcomers this year are Denver, Brisbane and Lyon. The top three cities were Gothenburg followed by Copenhagen and Zurich.

Another achievement was when Gothenburg recently was appointed European Capital of Smart Tourism 2020 by the European Commission. Here, too, the city’s work on sustainability is a weighty reason and Gothenburg was also awarded the special award in the category of sustainability.

“More and more cities are looking at Gothenburg and next year there will be a major focus on how to work to become smarter in areas such as digitalization, accessibility, culture and sustainability”, says Peter Grönberg CEO of Göteborg & Co.

GDSI measures all elements of sustainability: environmental, social and economic. But to gain a high ranking, it is not enough just to involve the hospitality trade, with facilities and hotels; the city as a whole must also be engaged in sustainability issues.

The cities are assessed based on several criteria: such as how effectively the city recycles and disposes of waste, environmental certification of hotels and restaurants, emissions of greenhouse gases, accessibility, the traffic situation, rental bike systems and whether both public and private stakeholders have sustainability strategies in place.

To find out more about the survey and the results for all cities involved, please see: http://gds-index.com/

For 40 years, Gothenburg’s large hotels have been engaged in a unique partnership in which competitors team up to attract more visitors to Gothenburg. Today, the Association of Large Hotels is comprised of Gothenburg’s 23 largest hotels and is working more actively than ever.

Kristian Andreasson is Regional Manager for Scandic Hotels in western Sweden, while Alice von Geijer is Hotel Director of Radisson Blu Riverside Hotel. But they are also colleagues, acting respectively as Chair and Deputy Chair of the Association of Large Hotels, Gothenburg.

“The association works together to promote travel to Gothenburg and develop reasons for visits and overnight stays. We collaborate up to the point where a visitor decides to visit Gothenburg, which benefits all of us,” explains Kristian.

“Of course we’re competitors, but we’re also colleagues with similar jobs. Together we address many ideas and issues of common concern, such as skills provision and how to ensure that Gothenburg and our industry continue to evolve and remain at the cutting edge. We maintain a high level of integrity and are good at keeping our roles separate,” says Alice.

The Association of Large Hotels, Gothenburg, was founded in 1980 as a non-profit association. Back then, far fewer hotels met the membership criterion of having over 100 hotel rooms. Today there are 23 member hotels with approximately 7,000 hotel rooms and 4,500 employees between them. Gothenburg also has an association for smaller hotels: the Association of Gothenburg Hotels.

Both associations participate actively in Göteborg & Co’s efforts to attract meetings and events and grow Gothenburg as a destination.

“Our partnership allows us to discuss matters at a different level than is usually possible. For this to work, it is necessary to have Göteborg & Co as a coordinating link. Everyone knows they are a neutral party with no profit-making interest,” says Kristian.

This working model allows all the hotels to be involved at an early stage in Gothenburg’s efforts to attract large scientific conferences or events. For an organiser, it is easier to have one point of contact for all hotels than contacting each hotel separately, as is common in other cities.

“We want it to be simple to do business with Gothenburg, and this method works well. The partnership is unique and causes some degree of envy in Stockholm and Malmö,” says Alice.

The business plan of the Association of Large Hotels comprises four focus areas: Cooperation, Accessibility, Safety and Skills Provision. The association deals with issues such as developing reasons for visiting Gothenburg, making the city more accessible, and conducting marketing and training.

Examples of projects supported by the hotels include Autumn City and Halloween at Liseberg, the Volvo Ocean Race, and supplementary events in conjunction with major events. Other matters dealt with by the partnership include common safety and environmental certification and attracting conferences and events to the city.

“Major conferences and events are extremely important: they bring many guests to our hotels and promote a positive image of the city. The visitors are often hugely impressed,” says Kristian.

Several new hotels are being planned in Gothenburg. There is a strong will to invest, and Gothenburg will have about 4,000 new hotel rooms by the second half of the 2020s. This is over 30 per cent more than today. Meanwhile, housing and workplaces are being built at a rate not seen in Gothenburg for many years.

“The whole city will grow, and this expansion benefits Gothenburg. Another of our aims is to actively develop new reasons for visiting. We in the hotel industry feel a need to participate and contribute in this respect,” explains Alice.

Another role of the Association of Large Hotels is to collaborate with decision-makers over urban planning and development. A hotel contributes to a lively urban environment by attracting a flow of visitors and residents. Staycations are becoming increasingly popular. This is a form of tourism where residents or visitors from the region treat themselves to a weekend in a hotel rather than travelling further afield.

“The initiatives we support and develop should also benefit Gothenburg’s residents. We want Gothenburg to be a great city to live in, both now and in the future,” says Kristian.

On the west coast of Sweden, in Gothenburg to be specific, you will find three hotels at the top of Tripadvisor’s list of the top 25 hotels in Sweden: Upper House is closely followed by the Hotel Pigalle and Avalon Hotel.

This recognition comes from Tripadvisor’s Traveller’s Choice Awards 2019, which are based on reviews and opinions from Tripadvisor travellers over a period of one year. In 2018, Gothenburg took the top two places, but this year the city has taken the entire podium, with three city centre hotels: Upper House in first place, Hotel Pigalle in second and Avalon Hotel in third. Upper House tops the list for the third year in a row!

All three hotels are ideal for visitors who want to experience and explore Gothenburg’s inner city on foot. They are close to museums, the opera house, parks, shopping, Michelin-starred restaurants, bars and cafés. Most are within walking distance.

Design flair in Gothenburg
The three top hotels are also recognised for their strong sense of design, and if design is your thing there is plenty to discover in the city:

• On 23 February the Röhsska Museum of Design and Craft will re-open after major refurbishment. The Röhsska Museum is the perfect place to explore design from different places and eras.
• The sauna in Frihamnen harbour on Hisingen is part of the preparations for Gothenburg’s 400-year anniversary in 2021. The sauna was designed by the German architectural collective Raumblabor Berlin. Its sheet-metal exterior is constructed from totally recycled material and the changing room walls are made from 12,000 recycled glass bottles.
• Along Magasinsgatan, one of the central arteries for shopping and dining in Gothenburg, you can find a great selection of unique designer shops, including the interior design store Artilleriet with its mix of modern and vintage, Rum 21 with its Scandinavian furniture and interior design goods, and Engelska Tapetmagasinet with its wallpapers, cushions and interior furnishings. Another shop that is worth a visit is Miksajo on Vallgatan – a unisex store that focuses on fashion, design and lifestyle accessories.
• Set in an old factory building in Lindome, just outside Gothenburg, is Spinneriet, which has been developed into a design centre. You’ll find several exciting shops, artists, second-hand shops and a cosy restaurant.

In addition to the top three places, the Dorsia Hotel & Restaurant took 21st place, and Sankt Jörgen Park took 24th place in Tripadvisor’s ranking.

Gothenburg hotels ranked among Sweden’s best hotels:

1. Upper House
2. Hotel Pigalle
3. Avalon Hotel
21.Dorsia hotel & restaurant
24. Sankt Jörgen Park