I thought “I love New York” or “Virginia is for lovers” were enticing tourist campaigns. At the Consul General of Sweden in New York City, a new tourism initiative launched that is highlighted by the release of a historical and supernatural audio story that can only be heard in the Swedish forest.
Sweden has invited travelers to discover the country’s myth-filled forest through Kiln, a spellbinding audio story authored by internationally renowned author John Ajvide Lindqvist.
The twist is you can only listen to it in the Swedish forest.
According to the press release, “The vast forests of Sweden possess both beauty and tranquility — but also drama and mystique.
Sweden invites travelers to discover the country’s myth-filled forest in a spellbinding audio story, written by internationally renowned author John Ajvide Lindqvist, only available in the Swedish forest. Through the short story, visitors receive an immersive experience of the country’s enchanted nature — home to some of the world’s most famous folkloric beings.”
“The supernatural has always played an active role in Swedish culture. It is more than just a backdrop to the crime stories and Nordic noir movies that have made the country famous”, says John Ajvide Lindqvist. “Now, the world is welcome to discover it for themselves in a truly immersive experience. As a horror author, when I enter a forest, I only need a glimpse of the dark side of a stone or the knots of a tree to trigger my imagination. Nature seems to come alive and lures you to come after it.”
I have listened to this audio story, Kiln, and it is sonically immersive. An American tradition is to tell spooky stories when camping. This “scary story” uses forest sounds and unidentifiable noises, tones, and vibrations to amp up the “eerie” factor. The female narrator should be the audiobook narrator for all Goosebumps books because she is so effective at evoking the enchantment endemic in the Swedish forests. For Sweden, this tourism initiative is extremely well-designed and needed. Americans seem a little fuzzy on the difference between Scandinavian countries.
For example, did you know that approximately 10.3 million people live in Sweden? That’s almost twice as many as Norway’s population. It’s also much bigger than the other Scandinavian country, Denmark, which has a population of approximately 5.8 million.
Sweden is also home to the famous Ice Hotel in the village of Jukkasjärvi. The hotel is crafted each year from two-tonne blocks of ice from the nearby Torne River.
In most of the world, Mickey Mouse reigns supreme as Disney’s best loved character. But in Sweden, Donald Duck is much more popular. Why? You’ll have to travel to Sweden to find out.
Everyone loves to take a break from work when they can, but in Sweden, the idea is baked into the culture. The practice is called Fika, and it’s a recognized break twice daily where workers enjoy coffee, cake and chat. I could move to Sweden just because of Fika. By contrast, American bosses are all about eating lunch at your desk while you work.
In 2022, for the second year in a row, Sweden was listed as the most sustainable country in the world by Euromonitor International in its Sustainable Travel Index, as well as once again ranking number one in the Good Country Index, a measure of what countries contribute to the world outside their borders, and what they take away: their balance-sheet towards humanity and the planet.
The audio story brings Sweden’s rich folklore history to life. More and more people travel to Sweden, attracted by its unspoiled natural landscapes and progressive lifestyle, as depicted in many popular TV series, books, and films. For example, modern pilgrims travel to walk in the footsteps of Lisbeth Salander, the heroine from the much-read Millennium trilogy, by Swedish author Stieg Larsson.
I personally would like to meet Greta Thunberg and ABBA, in that order.
“Looking at what travelers are seeking when planning a holiday, many have a desire to discover something new. We want to inspire the world to come and experience something completely different,” says Nils Persson, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Sweden. “The Swedish forests have historically been home to many fascinating creatures, now we want to introduce the world to their spellbinding beautiful home… if you dare.”
For those who dare, the geo-restricted audio story is available for free on Visit Sweden’s website and on Spotify. Here, visitors can also discover the best locations for experiencing the story, plus learn about the different mythological creatures from Swedish folklore.
You can listen to Kiln here.
Really, the best place to listen is in the Swedish forest. I dare you. I double dare you.
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