Is it more appealing to move to a smaller town if there is a vital hospitality industry? According to the internet-based housing market service Hemnet, it can actually be that way. This in turn could indicate that investments in local cycling tourism contribute to a positive spiral for a municipality in the countryside.
The pandemic seems to have changed people's way of reasoning about housing. When remote work has become accepted, housing in rural areas has become more in demand. It is sometimes claimed that many are moving away from the big cities in a new green wave of the 1970s model. It is not at all certain that this is true, however, more people choose to buy a holiday home or an extra apartment in smaller towns according to Hemnet.
If you look at price development, you can see that apartments in municipalities are in the category Rural municipality with hospitality industry are the ones that have increased the most. The price per square meter has risen by 33 percent since 2019. Then you should keep in mind that it is from a low level. Price development in Rural Municipalities has generally been weakest in comparison with other categories.
- When we collaborate with a municipality or region, we see ourselves as part of a societal development. A developed bicycle tourism creates growth and employment also in rural areas. Research shows that cycling tourists spend more money locally than other types of tourists. They want accommodation, are hungry for food and drink and visit local attractions. In that sense, cycling tourism is sustainable not only environmentally but also financially, says Katarina Bergstrand who is CEO of Sweden by Bike.
Source: Hemnet