Current campaign

Even the most informed and powerful people on earth can't always tell the two countries apart; A world leader, the New York Stock Exchange, and a famous pop star have all experienced this. Every year, 120.000 people even google the question: "Are Sweden and Switzerland the same?". Determined to end the confusion once and for all, Sweden is now proposing action. The proposal from Sweden aims to make the distinction between the two countries clear, thus ending the ongoing confusion.

Half of the American population does not know the difference between Sweden and Switzerland, more than two-thirds of British people are unable to locate Sweden on a map and some Brits have even identified IKEA or ABBA as Swiss. Other examples of mix-ups are for example that the Swedish national anthem was played for the Swiss team from Bern during an international ice hockey competition some years ago.

After decades of confusion, Sweden is now proposing action, determined to end the confusion once and for all. To solve this issue, Visit Sweden, the Swedish tourist board, is reaching out to their European friend to decide who talks about what. The first draft of the official settlement between Sweden and Switzerland has been presented and Visit Sweden is hopeful to get it signed. But they are open to discussions.

“If people struggle to separate our two countries, we need to help them. We can’t change the names of our nations, but we can become more distinct. Sweden offers luxury of a different nature. That’s why we believe it’s time to decide who promotes what, and hopefully we can reach an agreement,” said Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden.

Traditional luxury vs Sweden: luxury of a different nature

With a good dose of humour, Sweden is highlighting aspects that are known to attract travellers. They want to show that Sweden offers a different kind of luxury.

Sweden's plea is simple: “We will communicate things like sandbanks, rooftops, and silence. Meanwhile, Switzerland will focus on banks, mountain tops, and yodelling. We are still waiting for an official response, but we’re hoping that Switzerland is willing to negotiate with us on this important matter.” Continues Susanne Andersson.

Learn more online about Sweden´s:

• Naturally occurring gold, of a different nature
• Sandbanks and archipelagos
• Rooftop bars - a different peak to your day
• The Northern Lights - a different kind of surreal experience
• Silent soundscapes that help you wind down and connect with nature, and a lack of yodelling

The full proposition can be read and signed at https://visitsweden.com/sweden-not-switzerland/ ... and hopefully, in the future, tourists will know that they are visiting Sweden (and not Switzerland).