Royal Djurgården

Royal Djurgården, home to hotels, stages and cultural institutions, is entering a new kind of collaboration — one that places knowledge at the centre of the visitor experience.

Together with Högskolan Dalarna, Hasselbacken, Backstage and Cirkus are part of launching Sweden’s first university course focused on a single destination: Royal Djurgården – Platsen och besöksnäringen. The idea is simple — the best way to understand how places are built is to study one in depth.

With its mix of museums, gardens, stages, restaurants and public spaces, Djurgården offers exactly that.

The place, the people, the industry

Each year, Royal Djurgården draws around 15 million visitors. What defines it is not only the scale, but the variety — museums alongside gardens, amusement parks, music venues and restaurants, all within a single, walkable landscape.

It is both a local escape and an international destination, contributing to how Stockholm — and Sweden — is experienced from the outside.

The course builds on this complexity. By focusing on one place, it aims to create a deeper understanding of how culture, experiences and sustainability interact to shape attractive and competitive destinations.

Knowledge that shapes the future

The visitor economy is one of Sweden’s fastest growing sectors, yet often lacks the academic grounding found in other industries.

Starting in spring 2025, the course is designed to address that gap — offering insights into sustainable destination development, hosting, and the broader role of place in society.

Royal Djurgården itself provides the backdrop. Already recognised as one of the world’s most sustainable urban destinations, it was awarded the Green Destinations Platinum Award again in 2024, in line with the UN’s global sustainability goals.

For Hasselbacken, Backstage and Cirkus, the collaboration connects hospitality, culture and education in a tangible way.