There are eight places in the world called Sweden. Now, Sweden applies for trademark as the first country in the world to avoid travelers ending up in the wrong Sweden.
Sweden is making a bold (and slightly cheeky) move to trademark its name, putting an end to travel mix-ups. The home of cinnamon rolls and fika has applied to the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to protect its name from international duplicates that might confuse unsuspecting travelers who want to experience the original Sweden and is calling on people around the world to support its application via an online petition.
The trademark application aims to ensure no one packs for the Swedish lakes and forests only to find themselves in a far-off town with the same name but none of the Scandi charm. British travelers have, at some point, been caught out by two places having the same name – from Edmonton in North London versus Edmonton, Canada, to the legendary Liverpool football fans who wound up in Lille, Belgium instead of Lille, France.
Eight places around the world are called “Sweden“. There are also multiple Germanys, dozens of Americas, and 34 Londons globally, so it’s not hard to see why a little brand clarity might be in order. Visit Sweden has decided it’s time to step in and help tourists avoid holiday blunders, so no one packs for the Swedish lakes and forests, only to find themselves in a far-off town.
According to Visit Sweden research, almost half (45%) of travelers in the UK admitted to finding it confusing with destinations having the same names when planning their travels and 7% have even confessed they travelled to the wrong place. With over 7.4 million British travelers interested in Sweden as a travel destination, there’s the potential for over 595,000 travelers to end up in the wrong Sweden.
The study also revealed a large share of younger travelers aged 20-32 support the idea of trademarking names to prevent location mix-ups (54% in the US, 45% in the UK and 44% in Sweden).
“It’s flattering that other places want to be called Sweden, but we’d prefer if there was just one. Our Sweden. The one with lakes, islands, forests, and the world’s best flat-pack furniture,” quipped Susanne Anderson, CEO of Visit Sweden. “When people think of Sweden, they should picture our rich landscapes, fika culture, and iconic design, not another city or town that happens to share our name. We want everyone to join us, sign the petition, and help travelers discover the one and only, and original, Sweden.”
Sweden Applies for Trademark as the First Country in the World, information provided by PR Newswire. The author’s opinions and the content shared on this page are their own and may not necessarily represent the perspectives of Daily Scandinavian.