The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth has made a decision on thirteen projects that are granted a total of 19 million Swedish kronor within the call for “In-depth work on sustainable place development”. The Grimeton Radio Station World Heritage Site is one of the places.
The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth has been tasked by the government to implement initiatives to promote the transformation and sustainable development of the tourism industry. One part of the assignment involves working for sustainable place development throughout the country. The goal is to create attractive environments for visitors, residents, businesses, and investments. The national strategy for sustainable tourism and a growing visitor industry identifies place development as an important part in achieving the goal of making Sweden the world’s most sustainable and attractive travel destination.
“Sustainable place development is based on the conditions of the place and requires cooperation between more actors than just within the tourism industry. Place development for sustainable tourism and visitor industry takes into account the needs of residents, visitors, businesses, civil society, and the public sector,” says Helena Lindahl, team coordinator for sustainable place and destination development at the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth.
World Heritage sites and biosphere areas from north to south
The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth is making a special investment in a total of eight projects with selected World Heritage sites and biosphere areas. Based on the Handbook for Sustainable Tourism Development in World Heritage Sites and Cultural Environments, the projects will develop places to increase local attractiveness. At the Grimeton World Heritage Site, the investment is seen as very valuable.
“The purpose of the project is to develop the Grimeton World Heritage Site into an export-ready, internationally known and appreciated visitor destination without affecting the site and our planet. This can be achieved through a more strategic and long-term approach and, above all, in collaboration with others,” says Cornelia Magnusson, project manager at the Grimeton World Heritage Site.
“World Heritage sites are internationally very strong brands, and developing World Heritage sites into visitor destinations has proven, if done sustainably, to be beneficial for the nation, region, and not least for the management of the individual site. We were therefore very pleased when the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth announced project funds specifically for sustainable place development linked to the Swedish World Heritage sites,” continues Cornelia Magnusson.
In addition to the Grimeton Radio Station World Heritage Site, the following World Heritage sites have been granted funds: The High Coast and the Kvarken Archipelago, the Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland, the Hanseatic Town of Visby, and the Naval City of Karlskrona. Moreover, the following biosphere areas have been granted funds: Vindelälven-Juhttátahkka, Voxnadalen, Östra Vätterbranterna, Blekinge Archipelago, and the biosphere candidate Vombsjösänkan.
Continuation projects from previous initiatives
During 2022, five projects from the previous initiative on sustainable place development will continue. The project owners are Destination Funäsfjällen, Umeå Municipality, Falköping Municipality, Sotenäs Municipality, and Västervik Museum.
More information about the approved projects can be found on the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth’s website. For more information about the project
