During the corona pandemic, there was a Norwegian holiday “for all the money”. But this year there are an extra large number of Norwegians who have moved to warmer regions, leaving large sums of money abroad. – First of all, we see that we have missed holidays abroad. We have a fairly solid growth of 15 per cent compared to 2019. Although we have general price growth a bit in the back of our minds, it means that holidays abroad have never been more popular than this year. That’s what Ine Oftedahl, director of data transformation at DNB, says. There has been high card usage throughout the summer. Although we had an air strike and a heat wave, which could have led to people canceling their holiday abroad, card use did not stop, according to Oftedahl. – It has been a good summer for foreign destinations, she states. Sweden and Spain are the favorites 7 out of 10 Norwegians have been abroad, if you look at our credit card use. – Even if you haven’t had your entire holiday abroad, many have at least had a weekend trip, says Oftedahl. A new survey from the payment solution Klarna shows that Norwegians are tired of Norwegian holidays. During the next year, 53 percent plan a holiday abroad to another country in Europe. Sweden tops the list of holiday destinations where Norwegians have left the most money this year, according to DNB. Closely followed by Spain. Information about DNB’s summer analysis DNB’s Insights team analyzes transaction data and consumption behavior based on 1.4 million private customers. Data are population-adjusted so that the reports agree even better with observed card use among the Norwegian population as a whole. Data is not adjusted for inflation. The current analysis period is week 25-31 (June 20-July 31). When card use is compared with 2019, 2020 and 2021, it is always for the corresponding period. In the summer analysis, only physical card use is included in order to be able to analyze the actual user location and travel pattern. Source: DNB Insight – Spain was quite far ahead of Sweden during large parts of the summer. At the end, Sweden climbs powerfully, but it’s very similar. Sweden is the traditional winner, says Oftedahl. Record for cross-border trade in July – Such good news for Sweden! We like Norwegians. That’s according to communications manager Yvonne Nordling at Skansen, an open-air museum combined with a zoo in Stockholm. Among foreign tourists they have visited this summer, Norwegians are in fourth place behind Germany, the USA and Finland. Nevertheless, there have been fewer Norwegians traveling on “harry trade”. Short data from DNB shows that in the first half of 2022 there were 28 per cent fewer day trips to Sweden compared to the first half of 2019. But now it has picked up sharply again. July was an “all-time high” for shops on the border. Sun and heat on the wish list According to Oftedahl in DNB, it is typical southern destinations that have seen the greatest growth. Greece, Spain, Italy and France have collectively grown by 35 per cent. The Netherlands also stands out in the statistics. – It seems that the Netherlands has increased in popularity among Norwegians. They have had good growth. But it is still clear that many sunny Norwegians have moved a little further south in Europe. – If one has to sum it up, it is sun and warmth that have been at the top of Norwegians’ wish list. – Spain stands out Marie-Anne Zachrisson, head of Ving Noreg, says it was clear early on that this was going to be a good summer, since the travel restrictions after the pandemic have been removed. – There has been very high demand. It is Spain that stands out. Mallorca is our biggest destination, without a doubt. Over 50,000 Norwegians have traveled here with the tour operator. – Nevertheless, there has been a lot that has not gone our way, she says, and mentions the SAS strike and the passport queue. Want to have a little extra fun after the pandemic The pandemic has given room to save money. Many may have avoided an extra expensive holiday this summer. – There are quite a few who have managed to save up a buffer during the pandemic. There is a generally higher use of cards. It is partly due to the rise in prices, but we also see that people have food and get away with a little extra in the first summer after the pandemic, Oftedahl believes. Ine Oftedahl, director of data transformation at DNB, says that it has been a good summer for foreign destinations. Photo: Stig B. Fiksdal – What is the biggest difference if we compare it to how we traveled before the pandemic? – We have spread the travel a little more over the summer. Perhaps in the hope of avoiding slightly larger crowds, or to ensure that you get the holiday you’ve been dreaming of, says Oftedahl. More expensive fuel prices may have meant that we stay longer at each destination. – In Norway, we saw an upswing in car holidays and camping holidays during the pandemic. Then we saw that you had quite a few transactions in each place, before you moved on to the next. This year, the number of transactions in one place is increasing. One stays longer in each city.
ttn-69
