778 TOURISM LAW IN EUROPE 2. SWEDEN’S BACKGROUND Sweden is one of the largest countries in Europe, as it covers more than 450,000 km2. The country is elongated, spanning over more than 1,600 km from the north to the south. The country differs a great deal from the north, where one can see the midnight sun and northern lights, to the south, with fertile agricultural landscapes filled with vast canola and poppy fields in the summer. Thus, the Swedish outdoors cover a wide range of different nature: archipelagos and islands, arctic nature, vast woodlands, mountains, fertile landscapes, lakes and rivers and so on. Despite the country’s size, Sweden only has a population of approximately 10.4 million, being sparsely populated in large parts. Consequently, Swedish nature is easy to access, allowing for many different ways for tourists to experience the country. Moreover, the generous access to Sweden’s countryside may also be used by tourism companies and organisations in their business, creating good conditions for companies to arrange activities in the wild. Public access rights – “Allemansrätten” as laid down in the Swedish Constitution2 – gives everyone a right to roam freely in the countryside, irrespective of who owns the land3, but it is forbidden to destroy or damage nature or disturb animals or plants. It is worth mentioning that since water, such as lakes and rivers, constitutes almost 10 % of Sweden’s area, it is free to fish in the seas and the five big lakes; everywhere else will require a fishing permit, which can often be obtained in tourist offices, camping sites or local stores. Concerning Sweden’s legal environment, there is no general tourism act in Sweden; however, there are many special acts that must be adhered to by tourism companies. Although there are not many areas where a formal licence or authorisation is required, several businesses, such as restaurants, must notify or be registered with an authority. Moreover, there are no formal regulations for, for instance, guides; anyone can decide to be a guide and provide guided tours in the cities, tourist attractions or the wilderness. 2 Kungörelse [Proclamation] (1974:152) om beslutad ny regeringsform [on a new form of government]. 3 Certain rules, however, apply in national parks and other areas designated as areas of interest for the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora, for instance.
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