Traveling involves discovering places, trying new things and, many times, constantly interacting with other people. From the airport to an organized tour, a restaurant, accommodation or a group activity, vacations can end up adding up to so many interactions that some travelers even need to recover from them upon returning.

Visit Sweden has decided to use this reality to promote Sweden as a destination and has opened “The Introvert Travel Agency”, a travel agency designed specifically for those who prefer a vacation with less social pressure.

The initiative, developed together with Prime Weber Shandwick, allows you to discover and book experiences in Sweden, focusing on autonomy: more personal space, the possibility of exploring places at your own pace and the freedom to decide when to share the trip with other people and when to be alone.

The approach is supported by a recent YouGov survey according to which 41% of participants identify as introverts, compared to only 14% who consider themselves extroverts. Another 45% claim to be somewhere between both profiles. Furthermore, nearly half recognize that sometimes they need “a vacation from your vacation” to recover after traveling and 67% prefer destinations where social interaction is optional rather than expected.

Thus, rather than creating a completely new tourist offer, Visit Sweden uses the agency to highlight characteristics that it considers typical of the country and align them with a specific need of the traveler.
The campaign thus highlights Sweden’s low population density, the usual respect for personal space or the normality of activities such as having a coffee alone. It also highlights the allemansrättenthe right of public access to nature that allows you to explore numerous natural spaces independently.

“Many travelers seek the freedom to decide when they want company and when they don’t”explains Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden. “Sweden has always offered that kind of space, in our nature, our cities and our social culture.”

The idea does not necessarily present introversion as isolation. Mattias Lundberg, psychologist and associate professor of Psychology at Umeå University, explains that regaining energy has more to do with being able to control when and how interactions occur. “Environments with less social pressure, more personal space, and the ability to retreat can facilitate energy conservation and recovery.”he points out.

“The Introvert Travel Agency” is available online to help travelers plan this type of vacation and will also have a temporary physical version in three European markets. The experience will arrive in Berlin from October 14 to 17, Paris from 21 to 24 and London from October 28 to 31. The spaces will seek to convey to the public the characteristics around which the campaign is built: nature, spaciousness and a relaxed social culture.

More info: The introvert travel agency