As an Englishman now living in Sweden, it really amazes me how little people know about this country and the potential life changing experiences it offers. Putting aside the fact that it's the third largest country in western Europe with a population of only 9 million people and with few social and cultural tensions, Sweden is a highly modern and sophisticated country and widely acknowledge to be one of Europe's most dynamic regions and a world leader in environmental issues.



The capital city of Stockholm rates favourably as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. With is winding waterways surrounding the 14 island that make up this historic city, it's truly breathtaking. Here you would quite rightly expect to find many world conference venue's and you do but only a stones throw away from the city centre and out of sight of many of Sweden's business visitors, are some real hidden gems that would not fail to impress the more adventurous planners amongst you.

So what makes Sweden such a unique prospect? Regular conferencing is an integral part of the majority of Swedish businesses and this is reflected in the amount of high quality venues the country has to offer. Now add to that the fact that Sweden is widely know as Europe's Last Wilderness, with 450,000 km² of untouched wilderness, of which 53% is made up of forests and with over 227,000 lakes, you have the perfect recipe for a range of unique and beautiful venue locations, which are conducive to producing creative thought and ultimately conferencing.

The vast majority of these thought provoking venues benefit from secluded locations and 99% of them are located next to a lake and also surrounded by thick forests. Themes range from tradition Swedish castles to modern purpose built conference centres and all supply first class facilities and service.

To further challenge and bond your employees these venues can offer a fantastic range of team building activities, involving an effective mix of the surrounding countryside and the natural waterways, all of which are on your doorstep. The activities are always conducted by professional companies who are obliged to abide by strict eco-friendly rules and regulations, ensuring your activities do not burden the environment.

It's a simple but successful formula the Swedes have developed by taking their employee's away from their everyday surroundings and then to immerse them in a calm, relaxing and natural environment. In return their employee's react in a more positive and creative manner, ready to learn new experiences and ultimately develop their personal skills.

Surprisingly, venues in Sweden offer all of these great benefits at rates low than that of London and many of the top European destinations. 24hr delegate rates start from around £95 per head and even at that price you'll be getting a high quality experience, rivalling anything you've experienced in the past. I challenge you to ask anyone who has been to Sweden, did their visit turnout to be a positive and profound experience, the answer is always YES!

Better still, since the introduction of the budget airlines, getting here has never been easier or cheaper. With daily flights from many European destinations airlines such as Ryanair, Stirling & Whizzair have now opened up a whole new world of affordable and accessible travel. Offering flights from as little as £30 return, there's never been a better time to sample a more adventurous conference or meeting.

I'll leave you now to ponder over the overwhelming facts that Sweden truly is a unique and adventurous prospect for an overseas meeting destination. I sincerely hope you'll consider Sweden for your next meeting. If you're already interested in looking into this further, we've a selection of fantastic venues chosen for their USP's within the international market and whom have added a selection of addition benefits for booking your meeting through us. You can view them at http://www.select-meetings.com

Happy conferencing!