Wild, beautiful and sustainable
Welcome to Scandinavia’s population centre of gravity. It’s the place where the hospitality industry, municipalities and other partners work together to promote sustainable tourism at every level, with a special focus on events and meetings in sports, food, culture and outdoor activities.
Establish yourself in the center of experiences
The mix of nature, countryside, towns and big cities makes the place attractive to visitors and commercial players alike. Adventurers and families with children from all over the world, especially Scandinavia and Northern Europe, come to discover the unique landscapes of Dalsland, Bohuslän and Västergötland. The typical visitor is motivated by curiosity and pursues nature tourism and sports events, in addition to meetings and conferences.
For people looking for culinary experiences, there is a wide range of restaurants and cafés serving local delicacies from the sea, forest and farms. Visitors can enjoy food in a number of ways, such as top-quality pubs and restaurants, or in a simple, natural country farmhouse setting.
As one of Sweden’s most important transport regions, it has fast connections. It’s never far to the next adventure. What’s more, you can easily cross the EU’s external border over to Norway via the Svinesund bridge. The crossing is considered one of the most beautiful in the world and is part of a place with a great deal of history.
- The West Sweden Tourist Board, in collaboration with commerce, municipalities, authorities and local and regional tourist councils, leads overall marketing and development efforts for the hospitality industry.
- Under the Climate Leap initiative, all of Western Sweden’s municipalities have agreed to work for sustainable tourism and hospitality according to four basic principles: (1) As little unnecessary environmental impact as possible; (2) doing what is good for both residents and visitors; (3) more visitors whenever and wherever there are vacancies, and (4) more full-time jobs and more robust businesses.
- Svinesund is the most important border crossing between Sweden and Norway and is described by many as the most beautiful crossing in the world. The new Svinesund bridge was inaugurated in 2005 to highlight the centenary of the dissolution of the Union between Sweden and Norway. A cross-border feasibility study is currently under way with the long-term aim of creating an attractive tourist destination at the Old Svinesund bridge.
- Elite athletes and fitness fans gather to compete in various sports during Trollhättan Action Week. One popular feature is the 'Alliansloppet' roller-ski competition, which has taken place every year since 2007 and is now broadcast on TV4 and CMore. Watch the international skiing elite compete on the same trails as everyday fitness fans, in the very heart of the spectacular locks and rapids area.
- The Dalsland Canoe Marathon is one of the world's biggest canoe races and crosses several of Dalsland’s enchanting lakes. Every year, it attracts competitors from more than 19 countries.
- The Koster Islands are surrounded by the Koster Sea National Park, Sweden's first national underwater park. It covers 390 square kilometres and is home to around 12,000 species. The Koster trench runs through the middle of the park, a deep gorge that also allows species from deeper waters to find their way into the area.
- The plateau landscape around Grästorp, Trollhättan and Vänersborg has been appointed Sweden’s first global geopark by UNESCO. A history dating back millions of years can be traced through the landscape. It boasts a wide variety of environments including smooth, flat rocky outcrops, plateaus and ice age remains.
- In 2017, CNN included the Bohus coast in its list of 10 of the last great wildernesses in the world. The archipelago's easily accessible islands, cobs, skerries and fishing villages are absolutely unique, and the idyllic atmosphere is ideal for outdoor activities such as fishing, kayaking or lobster safaris.
- A case study by Visit Sweden entitled The 72 Hour Cabin, gave five people the chance to leave their stressful everyday lives behind them (e.g. as a taxi driver in Paris and event coordinator in New York) to live in small glass houses in the Dalsland nature. After 72 hours, their stress levels were measured and had dropped by 70%. These relaxing little buildings in secluded, scenic locations continue to attract people from all over the world.
- In Tanum, you can see thousands of examples of visual art from the Bronze Age (1700 BC – 500 BC). The rock carvings are so varied and unique, they are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
