As Sweden’s second biggest city, Gothenburg has been able to develop at its own pace, without the greater demands and expectations placed on a capital. In the periphery, Gothenburg has grown to become the headstrong younger sibling who seems to steals all the attention.
Located on Sweden’s west coast, geographically in the middle of Scandinavia, Gothenburg has however always been a natural centre for trade, shipping and industry. Volvo, SKF and Hasselblad all have their head offices here. The port is the biggest in the Nordic region and the University of Gothenburg has the largest number of students in Sweden.
As a second city, cultural life has flourished without interference from expectations. Not least the music scene which bubbles with innovation, creativity and a renowned sense of collaboration. Hence it’s not so strange that one of Europe’s best music festivals chose to set up camp right in the city’s green heart, Slottskogen City Park. Way Out West, with its sensitivity and social engagement, has become a meeting point for world-renowned artists, the music business and Gothenburg’s cultural life. The festival is also Sweden’s only environmentally certified music festival. Everything from hamburgers to the stages’ electricity is sustainably produced.
Gothenburg has, however, not achieved its success for free. The city has worked hard and purposefully to bring events and conferences here. The public-private destination marketing company, Göteborg & Co, is an umbrella organisation for, among others, the Gothenburg Convention Bureau. Together, with the city’s politicians and businesses, they have laid the groundwork for drawing really big events to Gothenburg. But they have also kept their focus on sustainability. Even here, the spirit of collaboration is everything. Everyone – even Gothenburgers themselves – has been invited to be part of the city’s development. The latest example is the plans for Gothenburg’s 400th anniversary in 2021.
And even today progress towards these goals is being achieved. This year, Gothenburg has been appointed Europe’s Best Eco Tourism Destination 2011. “Perhaps it’s typically Swedish” wonders Lennart Johansson, manager for the Gothenburg Convention Bureau (GCB). He has just got word that Gothenburg has been appointed Europe’s Eco Tourism Destination 2011.
He continues; “Despite being among the world leaders in sustainable construction, waste management and re-usable energy, and today being at the cutting edge of environmental certification of hotels and events, the city doesn’t blow its own trumpet about it”.
Part of the explanation can lie in that much of what the rest of the world sees as a luxury is just part of the ordinary way of doing things in Sweden. Sweden has the cleanest drinking water in the world. In the sea outside of Gothenburg, the finest seafood is fished, a staple ingredient on every Gothenburger’s table. Every resident of the city is within cycling distance of forests and green areas, many of which lie right in town. Almost all household waste has been sorted since decades back and more than 90 percent of paper is recycled and 98 percent of 330ml glass bottles are re-used. Thus it’s no surprise that no-one here thinks it’s extraordinary that 74 percent of hotel rooms in Gothenburg are environmentally certified, despite the fact that top-ranking Copenhagen only has just 58 percent. “We’re going to change how we communicate and promote our success”, promises Lennart Johansson.
An example of how is the newly-started Green Gothenburg project, which organises study visits to the city’s waste management centres, energy companies and housing areas. Companies and organisations are invited to come and benefit from the current knowledge in environmental technology and sustainability that is available in the city. It’s a generous way to share learning but also to spread information about the services and facilities which Gothenburg can offer others.
The nomination for Best Eco Tourism Destination in Europe 2011 has come from business travellers and the title had stiff competition from major capitals such as Berlin and Vienna.
“For congress delegates visiting Gothenburg, it’s obvious that locals consciously work with sustainability. Your hotel is environmentally certified and if you take a taxi, it’s an environmentally-friendly vehicle. Plus you have the whole visual experience of how green Gothenburg really is, with its parks, closeness to the sea and the electric trams criss-crossing the city”, says Johansson.
The advantages of being a small city are many. The city’s – and also Scandinavia’s – largest congress venue, The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre, lies right in the city, as do most of the hotels where delegates stay. Short walking distances mean that natural meetings are created between delegates on the streets, at the restaurants and cafés.
“Because Gothenburg is a compact city, it means that conferences receive a greater visibility and presence in the city, something which is quite unique to Gothenburg”, explains Lennart Johansson.
If you don’t have to commute, you have time to experience the city and its inhabitants. Sabrina Volle, Congress Manager at ESC (European Society of Cardiology) held a Heart Failure Congress in Gothenburg in May this year. She explains why she fell in love with the city: “Gothenburg has something for you. It really is true, whether you like good food, nightlife or good shops, you can find everything you expect. People are also really welcoming and I liked the fact that everything was within walking distance”.
Gothenburg Convention Bureau aims to be a global leader as a sustainable conference destination. Lennart Johansson compares their vision to how you might buy a car today: “If someone buys a car today, compared with a few years ago, then there’s no-one who would dream of buying a car that didn’t meet today’s environmental requirements. Things are going the same way for conferences and events. In the near future environmental factors will be part of the standard requirements rather than a unique selling point for us who are leading the way.”
To further take it to the next level, Gothenburg Convention Bureau has identified the business sectors concerned with events and conferences in the city and gathered them together in an advisory board. “The idea is that we can oversee development and work collaboratively to package Gothenburg as a sustainable city – Sustainable Gothenburg. Of the 16 CEOs we invited, not a single person turned down the chance to participate, and it shows that this issue is at the top of everyone’s agendas”, says Lennart Johansson
Guy Bigwood, MCI Group Sustainability Director and a consultant to the project has the same experience: “We have implemented similar projects at other destinations, but what is unique with Gothenburg is the level of leadership involvement, their commitment and the existing network that Gothenburg Convention Bureau has in the city. And Swedes tend to forget this, but Sweden has a great legacy and history in terms of environmental and social sustainability. Politicians and businesses have throughout the years made good decisions about things like transport and infrastructure and this has laid the groundwork for Sweden’s pioneering position today.”
