Strong Tourist Year for Eskilstuna: More Guests and Growing International Interest

Eskilstuna continues to strengthen its position as an attractive summer destination. From June to August 2025, the number of occupied hotel rooms increased by 10.5 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth’s hotel statistics. Meanwhile, private travel accounts for 57 percent of guest nights, demonstrating that Eskilstuna is attracting more leisure travelers.

International Visitor Growth

The proportion of international visitors is also increasing significantly. During the summer, the export share reached 17.5 percent, a notable increase from the recent years’ average of around 14 percent. The export share is calculated based on sold accommodation in cottages, hostels, and campsites. The largest foreign markets are Germany, Norway, followed by Denmark and Finland.

”It is very gratifying to see that our long-term work is bearing fruit. We have been working purposefully for several years to strengthen Eskilstuna’s attractiveness both nationally and internationally. This development shows that our investments are having an effect,” says David Hofmann, CEO of Destination Eskilstuna.

Strategic Marketing Efforts

For many years, Destination Eskilstuna has collaborated with Region Sörmland and the county’s municipalities, with a particular focus on attracting international visitors, especially from the German market. In the past three years, Destination Eskilstuna has also participated in the world’s largest boat show, Boot Düsseldorf, to market Eskilstuna and Lake Mälaren as a sustainable and experience-rich destination, both on water and land.

”It’s exciting to see the increased interest in Eskilstuna as a summer destination. We have been working for many years to strengthen the location’s attractiveness and create awareness about what can be experienced here. The ’Turn Your Gaze to Eskilstuna’ campaign is part of that work,” says Petra Nordström, Communications Manager at Destination Eskilstuna.

Strategic Development

Destination Eskilstuna works strategically to develop the local visitor industry in close collaboration with the business community and other stakeholders. The positive development during the summer strengthens the image of Eskilstuna as a city in motion with a growing range of sports and cultural events, as well as nature and cultural experiences.

Note: From 2025, the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth has taken over the collection and reporting of visitor statistics from Statistics Sweden (SCB). We reserve the right for potential minor adjustments in the final statistics, as not all facilities may have reported their occupancy figures.