Planning a weekend trip to Stockholm, Sweden? The city does its best to welcome all guests. Photo: Nicho Södling / www.imagebank.sweden.se

Six years ago, the Swedish Parliament resolved to make Sweden accessible to everyone. Building laws were tightened and tougher requirements were imposed on both official and private bodies to create accessible milieus. In short, the demands are meant to “simply eliminate obstacles in official premises and public spaces.” They are expected to be in place by 2010 at the latest.

An accessible capital

The city of Stockholm has begun an accessibility project, which is actively working to make street environments accessible and easy to navigate for persons with mobility impairments.

Accessibility to public places, such as theaters, is part of the project, as is collaboration with SL (Stockholm Transport), which has been charged with making public transportation more accessible. This includes installing elevators in all subway stations and loudspeakers that announce the information posted on the public transportation signs. 

The project has also established an honorary award, the St. Julian Prize, which was presented for the first time this year. The prize is awarded to business owners in Stockholm who have designed their premises to be accessible to everyone with consideration given to both the physical environment and the business’s attitude to visitors to their establishment.

Being treated well is very important

The St. Julian Prize is divided into four categories: store/bank, restaurant/bar/cafe, movie house/theater/cultural locale, and hotel/conference facility. The jury consists of representatives of the City of Stockholm, disability organizations and the Swedish Association of Architects.

Together, they test the locations, based on the needs of individuals with various mobility impairments. For example, they look for good accessibility for wheelchairs, easy-to-read menus, and reasonable noise levels. Another important criterion concerns how the personnel treat their guests.


In the new 'Bruno' shopping mall in Stockholm, accessibility has been integrated with the architecture. Photo: Brunogallerian

The 2006 winner in the restaurant/bar/cafe category is Bruno Café & Lounge on Götgatan in Stockholm’s Södermalm district. In the opinion of the jury, the cafe is "an excellent example of the renovation of an older building, in which accessibility for mobility-impaired individuals is well-integrated with the architecture in a simple, tasteful way.”

Ambassador protects the needs of hotel guests

The Scandic Sergel Plaza, part of Sweden’s biggest hotel chain, won in the hotel/conference facility category. The Scandic concern works intensively to improve accessibility at its hotels and has introduced a 93-point program, which was drawn up in collaboration with disability organizations and hotel guests. The program involves a continuous improvement process with check lists and personnel training.

Trendy clothing store JUS in Stockholm, was awarded the St Julian Prize for its clean-cut interior design, with distinct contrasts. Photo: Louise Billgert / www.imagebank.sweden.se

Martina Tengvall, press officer at Scandic, explains: “Accessibility isn’t only about the physical environment; it’s also about attitudes. Several years ago, we hired a disability ambassador, who trains our employees on how to think one step ahead. We want to increase our personnel’s understanding of different types of mobility impairment. The ambassador is also an advisor for all new hotels, as well as renovations of existing ones.”

Marie Nyqvist, receptionist at the Scandic Sergel Plaza, is one of the employees who has completed Scandic’s course.

“It is easy to get stuck in old thought processes and routines. The course opened my eyes to things I had never thought about before. I now have a better understanding of different types of mobility impairment.”

Conflicting needs

Recently, Scandic launched an accessibility standard, which applies to its 65 hotels in Sweden. All the reception desks have audio loops. People with allergies can order special breakfasts — for example, gluten-free food — and the hearing-impaired can borrow alarm clocks with vibrating alarms. The alarm clocks also react to the hotel’s fire alarm system.

“Often, accessibility has to do with small things that are actually very easy to deal with,” says Tengvall. “However, sometimes needs conflict with one another. Wall-to-wall carpeting is good for the hearing-impaired because it dampens noise, but it can be a hindrance for people in wheelchairs or those who have allergies. This is where it is important to think outside of the box.”

Tourism for all

Ingrid Buch, representative for the De Handikappades Riksförbund (DHR), an organization for people with mobility impairments, uses a wheelchair. She has traveled extensively both in Sweden and abroad. She points out that there is a big difference in how various countries treat people who are mobility-impaired.

“Some countries consider the mobility-impaired as a homogeneous group. They don’t think about the fact that we are all different people, individuals with all kinds of interests, needs, and desires,” says Buch.

Buch looks positively on Sweden’s tougher accessibility law, but she thinks that progress is too slow.

“When it comes to public transportation, a lot still needs to be done. In many places in Sweden, it is still difficult to travel by bus, for example, if you use a wheelchair,” she explains.

Tourism for all (Turism för alla) is an organization that provides information on accessible tourist destinations in Sweden and abroad. Among other things, they produce an annual catalogue in Swedish, “Resa utan hinder” [Travel without Obstacles], which provides vacation ideas for the mobility-impaired. Individuals not speaking Swedish who would like information and tips prior to their trip to Sweden can contact the organization.

Tourism for all also conducts accessibility inventories through the EQUALITY program. Keep an eye out for the EQUALITY sign at the tourist establishments you plan to visit. Certification means that Tourism for all has checked the facility from an accessibility point of view.

Helena Bornholm

Helena Bornholm is a freelance journalist who writes about travel, lifestyle trends, food, and cultural history in, among other publications, Dagens Nyheter and the magazines Vi, and Allt om Resor.

The author alone is responsible for the opinions expressed in this article.

Translation: Mireille Key

Classification: A144EN