Naturturismföretagen

What Naturturismföretagen does

Naturturismföretagen is a Swedish non-profit industry association (branschförening) founded in 1996 and headquartered in Luleå, serving as the collective voice for nature-based and ecotourism companies across Sweden. With a small staff of approximately 11 employees, the organization represents SMB operators in nature, eco, and culture tourism, providing advocacy on policy matters, hosting the annual Forum för naturturism industry conference, and administering frameworks such as "Turism på annans mark" (Tourism on Others' Land) that connect operators with landowners and public authorities.

The association's core proprietary asset is the Nature's Best Sweden quality marking system — a business development and certification framework aligned with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria, complemented by the Stegräknaren sustainability measurement tool and the Certifierad Naturguide professional credential for nature guides. Beyond certification, Naturturismföretagen runs educational programs, manages government and EU-funded development projects (notably Växtkraft naturturism Stockholm, 2025-2028), administers a tailored corporate insurance product for small nature tourism businesses, and operates the annual Grand Travel Award Ekoturismpriset and Mångfaldspriset awards.

The business model blends five revenue streams: annual membership fees from tourism operators, licensing and certification fees for the Nature's Best mark, course and training fees for sustainability and guide programs, project-based funding from Tillväxtverket, Region Stockholm, and EU regional development funds, and a tailored insurance offering for member companies with turnover under 2 million SEK. Strategic partners include the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) for international distribution and consumer-facing brands such as Icebug for joint campaigns. The organization is governed by a member-elected board, with Johan Engström serving as Secretary General since September 2024 and Linda Vismer as Board Chair since March 2023.

Name

Naturturismföretagen

Legal name

Naturturismföretagen

Website

https://naturturismforetagen.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Naturturismföretagen is a Swedish non-profit industry association founded in 1996 that serves as the collective voice and certification body for SMB nature and ecotourism operators across Sweden, delivering the Nature's Best Sweden quality mark, training, advocacy, and member services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Luleå

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from nature tourism, eco-tourism, and culture tourism companies. Currently offering 30% discount campaign for 30th anniversary.
2. Nature's Best Certification: Certification fees for companies seeking the Nature's Best quality marking.
3. Education and Training: Courses and educational programs for nature tourism entrepreneurs, teachers, and industry professionals. Includes sustainability training, nature guide certification, and business development courses.
4. Development Projects: Project funding from Tillväxtverket, Region Stockholm, and EU regional development funds for specific initiatives like Växtkraft naturturism Stockholm.
5. Corporate Insurance: Tailored insurance solutions for small nature tourism companies (turnover under 2 million SEK).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Naturturismföretagen is the Swedish industry association for nature-based and ecotourism companies, providing member advocacy, the Nature's Best Sweden quality certification, sustainability measurement tools (Stegriknaren), professional guide certification (Certifierad Naturguide), the annual Forum för naturturism industry conference, tailored corporate insurance, and development projects. Its core commercial offerings are the Nature's Best certification, membership subscriptions, training programs, and member business insurance.

Product overview

Naturturismföretagen operates as a trade association for nature and eco-tourism businesses in Sweden, offering a portfolio of membership services, certification programs, industry events, and development projects. The core offering centers on Nature's Best Sweden, a quality certification system for sustainable nature experiences, complemented by Forum för naturturism as an annual industry conference, Certifierad Naturguide as a professional certification for guides, and Stegräknaren as a sustainability measurement tool. The organization also provides business insurance offerings for members and manages development projects such as Växtkraft naturturism Stockholm and the national coordination function for sustainable tourism.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Nature's Best Sweden: Quality certification system for sustainable nature experiences, managed by Naturturismföretagen. An internationally recognized sustainability marking for Swedish nature tourism companies.

Products and services

• Nature's Best Sweden Systematic quality certification and business development tool for nature tourism companies in Sweden, supporting systematic sustainability work, certification, and annual development activities. Aligned with GSTC (Global Sustainable Tourism Council) global criteria.
• Forum för naturturism Annual national industry meeting for nature, culture, and eco-tourism businesses providing knowledge exchange, networking, and business development. Attracts 125+ participants from nature tourism companies, regions, municipalities, destinations, and authorities.
• Certifierad Naturguide National certification for professional nature guides in Sweden providing a quality-assured professional credential, developed in collaboration between industry, academia, and public actors.
• Stegriknaren - Årlig hållbarhetsmätning Sustainability Management System (SMS) tool for businesses to measure and follow up on their annual sustainability work, supporting systematic sustainability development for nature tourism operators.
• Företagsförsäkring (Business Insurance) Tailored insurance solution for small nature tourism businesses (turnover under 2 million SEK) based on the industry's real needs and risks, offered to association members.
• Växtkraft naturturism Stockholm Three-year initiative (2025-2028) to strengthen nature tourism businesses in Stockholm County to meet increasing demand for nature experiences in a way that benefits businesses, locations, nature, and people. Addressed competence areas include digital marketing, pricing/business development, sustainability, collaboration, and storytelling.
• Nationellt NAV för hållbar turism i svensk natur National coordination function for sustainable tourism in Swedish nature, working to strengthen and develop the nature tourism sector as a centralized competence and networking hub.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nature's Best Sweden certification provides systematic approach to sustainability that increases business quality and international marketability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Innovation Norway: Norwegian government instrument for innovation and tourism development, including nature tourism. Comparable as a Nordic government-affiliated organization supporting nature tourism industry development with policy and funding capabilities similar to those Naturturismföretagen works alongside.
• VisitDenmark: Denmark's national tourism organization. Comparable as a Nordic national tourism body, though a less direct match given Denmark's narrower nature-tourism profile and the organization's destination-marketing rather than industry-association structure.
• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): Global trade association for the adventure travel industry that Naturturismföretagen directly partners with. Comparable as an industry association serving nature-based tourism operators, but with global scope and a broader adventure travel mandate rather than a Swedish nature-tourism specialization.
• VisitScotland: Scotland's national tourism organization. Naturturismföretagen project staff member Kim Ross previously worked with VisitScotland, signaling direct functional similarity. Comparable as a national-level tourism development body, though much broader in scope than Naturturismföretagen's nature-tourism focus.

Emerging players

• Travelife: International sustainability certification and training system for tourism businesses, particularly accommodations and tour operators. Comparable as a tourism-focused sustainability certification scheme competing for the same credibility space as Nature's Best, but with international rather than national branding.

Direct peers

• Green Destinations: International organization promoting sustainable tourism destinations through certification and recognition programs. Comparable as a sustainability certification body in tourism, though operating globally rather than as a national Swedish association.
• Visit Greenland: Greenland's official tourism organization with strong focus on nature-based experiences in a Nordic-climate destination. Comparable as a national body promoting nature and adventure tourism, though structured as a destination marketing organization rather than a member-driven trade association.
• Svensk Turism: Swedish tourism industry trade association representing the broader Swedish tourism sector. Comparable as a fellow national Swedish tourism trade body providing advocacy and member services, though Naturturismföretagen focuses specifically on nature and ecotourism.
• Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC): Canada's national tourism industry association providing advocacy, training, and member services. Comparable as a national tourism trade association with advocacy and policy engagement functions, though broader in scope than Naturturismföretagen's nature-tourism specialization.
• Ecotourism Australia: Australia's national ecotourism industry association administering ECO Certification, Australia's first national nature tourism accreditation. Directly comparable as a national-level nature tourism trade body offering certification, advocacy, and member services with a similar mission and product mix to Naturturismföretagen.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/naturturismforetagen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/naturturismf%C3%B6retagen
• Instagraminstagram.com/naturesbestsweden

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Naturturismföretagen