Strong summer at the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers as more people prioritise experiences

After several years of cautious consumer spending, there are clear signs that households are beginning to spend more again. At the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers, revenue from the leisure segment across its hotel and restaurant operations increased by 13 per cent in July compared with the same month in 2025. At the same time, demand for meetings, congresses and corporate events remains strong.

The positive development can be seen across several parts of the business.

“People are increasingly choosing to prioritise experiences, travel and social activities. We can see this both in our hotel business and in our restaurants. For example, a higher proportion of our hotel guests have chosen to dine in our restaurants this summer. We are also seeing stronger booking levels for the autumn than at the same time last year,” says Carin Kindbom, President and CEO of the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers.

As one of the Nordic region’s largest integrated meeting places, the Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers welcomes around two million visitors each year, from both the leisure and business markets.

“Developments in meetings, travel and events are often an early indicator for us of the level of activity in the economy. What we are seeing right now are several positive signals, from both consumers and businesses,” says Carin Kindbom.

One example is this year’s Gothenburg Book Fair, where advance ticket sales are currently 25 per cent higher than at the same point last year.

“This indicates continued strong interest in experiences, knowledge and opportunities for people to meet,” says Carin Kindbom.

The positive development is not limited to the leisure market. The Swedish Exhibition & Congress Centre and Gothia Towers is also seeing continued strong demand for major international meetings, congresses and corporate events.

Growth this year has been particularly strong in areas such as security and defence, life science and electromobility – sectors in which Gothenburg and West Sweden have strong companies, research environments and international networks.

“Gothenburg continues to attract both visitors and international meetings. This strengthens the city’s appeal, creates business opportunities and contributes to the development of both the business community and the visitor economy,” says Carin Kindbom.