The home of cinnamon buns and fika has applied to trademark its name and is calling on people around the world to support its application via an online petition
London, UK, 12th November 2024: Sweden is stepping up to protect its identity and has applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to protect its name from international duplicates that might confuse unsuspecting travellers who want to experience the original Sweden. It is calling on people around the world to support its application to prevent travel mix-ups by signing the online petition.
The trademark application aims to ensure no one packs for the Swedish lakes and forests only to find themselves in a far-off town with the same name but none of the Scandi charm. British travellers have, at some point, been caught out by two places having the same name—from Edmonton in North London versus Edmonton, Canada, to the legendary Liverpool football fans who wound up in Lille, Belgium instead of Lille, France.
According to Visit Sweden research, almost half (45%) of travellers in the UK admitted to finding it confusing with destinations having the same names when planning their travels and 7% have even confessed they travelled to the wrong place. With over 7.4 million British travellers interested in Sweden as a travel destination, there's the potential for over 595,000 travellers to end up in the wrong Sweden.
“It's flattering that others want to be called Sweden, but we'd prefer if there was only one. Our Sweden. The one with the lakes, islands, forests, and the world's best flat-pack furniture,” says Susanne Andersson, CEO at Visit Sweden. “We want everyone to join us, sign the petition, and help travellers discover the one and only, and original, Sweden.”
Travellers should look out for the following signs that they've made it to the Original Sweden:
Free blue gems (we're talking blueberries, not sapphires!)
Quiet luxury (think more nature, less bling)
Your own private island (yes, really!)
Hotels for eight seasons (eight!)
Freedom to roam, and fabulous fashion to boot
Whether you're after a serene nature retreat or cutting-edge design, Sweden is making sure travellers arrive at the right destination – The Original Sweden.
Sign the petition here… https://visitsweden.com/visit-the-original-sweden/
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