Sigtuna hotels creates profitability and sustainable development through co-operation
This week the Tällberg Forum is held in Sigtuna. An active work of sustainability, naturally associated to high quality and worthwhile offers, is becoming a more important component to attract meetings and conferences here.
During the year 2010, Sigtuna became Sweden’s first climate neutral destination, as the hotels and conference centers got together in a joint project. After having calculated their climate emissions, they compensated these through projects that lowered the emissions that could not be avoided.
This unique co-operation continues and Sigtuna is still the only climate neutral destination in Sweden.
“We have challenged other destinations to do the same and we are hoping that we soon will get some followers”, says Camilla Zedendahl, CEO at Destination Sigtuna.
At the same time, as all business managers knows, profitability has to be focused on. “What we are seeing is that sustainability and profitability accompany each other. During 2010 Sigtuna expanded as a destination with more than ten percent and the hotel occupancy is very good.” continues Camilla Zedendahl.
“Environmentally conscious standards internally are obvious”, says Lotta Giesenfeld Boman, owner of the conference facilities Sigtunahöjden and Stora Brännbo Conference centers in Sigtuna town, “but we need to take a wider responsibility for questions regarding sustainability”.
Lotta and her colleague Björn Jonzon were chosen The Entrepreneurs of 2011, in Sigtuna, for their leading environmental work, among other things.
Charlie Edlund at Steningevik Conference center emphasizes how important the environmental work is for attracting customers, motivating employees, and not least to sense pride in contributing to a better world. Steningevik has recently invested in a geo thermal heating system, and has due to that reduced the climate emissions with 25 percent and reduced their running costs markedly.
To estimate ones climate emissions and how to compensate for these creates ideas on how to lower the negative effects on the environment. It also creates ideas on how to work on an even wider scale about sustainability. During the past year, a co-operation was initiated in Sigtuna, where companies, the municipality and the Stockholm Arlanda Airport –situated in the municipality, work together.
Sigtuna –Sweden’s fourth biggest hotel destination –is not only increasing in the number of overnight stays, but also more companies chose to establish themselves here. In the spring of 2012, Clarion will open a new hotel by the airport.
“Since we are establishing ourselves here, we would like to become an active partner in Sigtuna and together with others create possibilities for good developments”, says Johan Svensson, CEO for Clarion Hotel Arlanda. “To combine profitability and sustainability is not only possible but actually a prerequisite for every responsible company”, finishes Johan Svensson.
Facts about the Travel and Meeting industry in Sigtuna:
With more than 500.000 overnight stays per year, Sigtuna is Sweden's fourth largest hotel destination in terms of hotel nights.
The travel industry has a yearly turnover of about 2 billion SEK and employs about 1500 persons every year, excluding Stockholm Arlanda Airport. This is more than the turnover in many Swedish counties. The travel trade, including Stockholm Arlanda Airport, reaches approximately 24 billion SEK.
Participating hotels in the Sigtuna climate neutral destination project:
1909 Sigtuna Stads Hotell, 32 Rum & Kök, Arlanda Airport Conference, Arlanda Hotellby, Clarion Hotel Arlanda, Ibis Hotel Arlanda, Hotell Kristina, Radisson Blu Arlandia Hotel, Radisson Blu SkyCity Hotel, Sigtunahöjden Hotell & Konferens, Sigtunastiftelsen Hotell & Konferens, Steningevik Konferens, Stora Brännbo Konferens and Hotell, Stockholm Arlanda Airport an d Destination Sigtuna.
