New record high: visitors spend almost 15 billion in Norrbotten’s municipalities

New tourism accounts from Tillväxtverket show that visitor consumption in Norrbotten continues to reach new levels. Between 2024 and 2025, statistics show an increase of 4%, from 14.2 to a new record level of 14.8 billion.

The tourism accounts show how visitor consumption contributes to the economy in Sweden’s counties and municipalities. The statistics include trade, accommodation, transport, restaurants, and activities, among other things.

– These are levels that can be difficult to grasp without a comparison. SEK 14.8 billion corresponds to almost half of LKAB’s net sales for the same year. It is not exactly the same type of measure, but the comparison says something about the scale and the contribution of the tourism industry to the county, says Annika Fredriksson, CEO of Arctic Sweden Visitors Board, and continues.

– The statistics are proof that the county’s attractiveness as a destination is increasing. This, in turn, strengthens our cities, communities, and rural areas as places to live, reside, and work.

For Norrbotten, the new figures also show an increase of approximately 7% between 2019 and 2025. This is the third strongest development of all counties in Sweden.

Growth in tourism consumption per county 2019–2025, percentage growth in fixed prices. Norrbotten has the third strongest development in the country. Source: Tillväxtverket, Tourism Accounts at County and Municipal Level 2025.

Norrbotten ranks high in several national comparisons. The county is fifth highest in the country when visitor consumption is related to the number of inhabitants. Norrbotten also has one of the country’s highest proportions of consumption from international visitors. This shows that visitors from other countries account for a significant part of the consumption generated in the county, in various types of shops, accommodation facilities, restaurants and cafés, as well as car rental, taxi rides, train and bus tickets, etc.

The economic significance of tourism at the municipal level

The municipal statistics show how visitor consumption manifests itself differently across Norrbotten. The statistics reveal several different perspectives on development in the municipalities:

• Highest total tourism consumption: Luleå (4,279 million), followed by Kiruna (1,972) and Haparanda (1,858).
• Highest tourism consumption per inhabitant: Arjeplog, followed by Haparanda and Jokkmokk. Arjeplog also ranks tenth in the country.
• Largest percentage increase compared to 2024: Boden +38%, followed by Jokkmokk +9% and Luleå +8%.

– The municipal statistics show that each place needs to understand its own tourism economy. It’s not just about comparing municipalities with each other, but about seeing which visitor flows create local value and how they affect businesses, services, and development opportunities in the area, says Johanna Ögren, Head of Market & Business Intelligence, Arctic Sweden Visitors Board.

Read Tillväxtverket’s publication on tourism accounts at county and municipal level here:
https://tillvaxtverket.se/tillvaxtverket/publikationer/publikationer2026/turismrakenskaperpalansochkommunniva.12439.html

About the tourism accounts

The tourism accounts show the economic effects of tourism at national, regional, and local levels. In Sweden, calculations are made by Tillväxtverket and SCB, based on national accounts, surveys, and payment card data, among other things.

The regional and municipal statistics were published for the first time in 2024 and then covered the years 2019–2023. Tillväxtverket has now published revised statistics for the years 2019–2025. The statistics can be used by municipalities and regions that want to monitor developments and get a better picture of how visitor consumption affects the local economy.

Tillväxtverket emphasizes at the same time that the statistics are still under development. Exact levels, especially at the municipal level, should therefore be interpreted with some caution.