Winner of the Guardian, Observer and Guardian Unlimited Travel Awards 2006.

Sweden came out top in the category “Favourite European Country” when the results of a survey into the preferences of readers of British national newspapers, The Guardian and Observer, as well as the online version, Guardian Unlimited, were collated. Italy came second and Norway, third. The survey offers a unique and fascinating insight into the tastes and preferences of a discerning group of travellers.

“We are very pleased that Sweden has been chosen by such a quality group of readers. The results have confirmed us in our choice of target group and we hope that those who voted Sweden top destination will help us to spread the word about Sweden for the future,” says Fredrik Barthold, Regional Director, VisitSweden (formerly Swedish Travel & Tourism Council).

“I suspect glamour and the pull of nature have something to do with our readers voting Sweden their favourite European destination. There can't be too many capitals like Stockholm, where you can stay in a boutique-style hotel owned by former Abba stars, enjoy a gourmet dinner, party in clubs, and then, the next morning, swap your dancing shoes for a pair of hiking boots to explore the islands or the coast. If you really want to get back to nature, you can head up to Lapland. But even there, they've made a style statement in the form of the Ice Hotel. Swedes seem to have effortlessly struck the perfect party/healthy balance, and that would appear to be a winning combination.” Andy Pietrasik, Travel Editor of The Guardian comments on the Award.

Among VisitSweden’s current campaigns is the innovative “Stockholm the Musical” campaign, in which Stockholm is marketed by the interactive website www.stockholmthemusical.com . The website forms the basis of a viral campaign to drive UK visitors to Stockholm. It takes the visitor on an ironic, fun-filled musical journey through all the city has to offer and includes an interactive retro-style short film inviting users to enjoy picturesque city sights accompanied by a vibrant, uplifting tune specially written for the website. VisitSweden has created interest in the campaign through a variety of channels, including Guardian Unlimited.

So far this year, commercial bed nights in Sweden from the UK have increased by 16%.