Sweden ranks No. 19 as U.S. travel continues to grow, with more Americans discovering the country beyond the traditional summer season. Sweden has been named one of the world’s best countries in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards, ranking No. 19 among the Best Countries in the World.
Sweden’s showing in this year’s awards extends to its hospitality scene, with Stockholm’s Grand Hôtel ranking No. 5 among hotels in Northern Europe.
The annual awards are based on more than 798,867 survey responses from Condé Nast Traveler readers across the United States, who rated their travel experiences around the globe and the places they most look forward to returning to.
The recognition comes as U.S. travel to Sweden continues to grow. American travelers generated 1.71 million commercial guest nights in Sweden in 2025, up 11 percent from 2024 and 58 percent compared with 2019. That momentum continued through summer 2026, with U.S. guest nights increasing 10.5 percent from June through August compared with the same period last year.
“We’re delighted and honored to see Sweden recognized by Condé Nast Traveler readers at a time when interest from American travelers continues to grow,” says Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden. “What is particularly encouraging is that more Americans are experiencing Sweden beyond the traditional summer season and discovering more of the country. A better spread of visitors across seasons and destinations is an important part of how we want tourism in Sweden to develop.”
U.S. Travel Expands Beyond Summer
That shift is already visible in the numbers. Around 60 percent of American guest nights in Sweden in 2025 took place outside June through August. Compared with 2019, U.S. guest nights from January through May and September through December increased by 65 percent, outpacing the 49 percent growth recorded during the summer months.
The pattern extends beyond U.S. travelers. Across all markets, guest nights in Sweden outside the traditional summer high season grew 4.2 percent in 2025 compared with 2024. A more even distribution of visitors across seasons and destinations is central to Visit Sweden’s long-term ambition for tourism that benefits more places throughout the year while reducing pressure on individual destinations during traditional peak periods.
Stockholm remains a key draw for U.S. travelers to Sweden. Guest-night statistics also show American travel across different parts of Sweden, with Stockholm, West Sweden, Skåne in southern Sweden and Norrbotten in Arctic Sweden recording the highest numbers of U.S. guest nights from January through August 2026. In Skåne, the U.S. was the region’s third-largest international market in 2025, with American guest nights increasing 13 percent year over year.
Southern Sweden is also gaining international attention. Lonely Planet has named Skanör-Falsterbo to its Best in Travel 2027 list, placing the seaside destination on Sweden’s southwestern coast among its global recommendations for the year ahead.
Sweden is seeing renewed momentum at sea as well. Between May and August 2026, Swedish ports recorded 257 international cruise calls, up 9 percent from the same period in 2025, while cruise passenger volumes increased approximately 12 percent to nearly 650,000.