One of Åre Destination's areas of focus

Project development

Photo: Emrik Jansson

One of Åre Destination's core areas of focus is leading development projects that strengthen Åre as a year-round destination. We work closely with local businesses, landowners, community organizations, Åre Municipality, and other stakeholders to identify, shape, and deliver projects with the potential to enhance the destination.

These projects are made possible thanks to the commitment, expertise, and resources contributed by many partners. We would especially like to thank the local landowners whose collaboration helps make Åre's continued development possible. Funding comes through partnerships with organizations such as Åre Municipality and SkiStar, as well as support from Leader, the European Union, and private funding partners. Below are some of the development projects we've worked on that have contributed to Åre's long-term growth.

The projects below have now been completed. Some are described in the present tense to reflect how they were presented while they were underway.

Development project: Åre year-round

- taking destination hosting to the next level

Our challenge

Throughout its long history as a tourism destination, Åre has understood the importance of exceptional hospitality in creating returning visitors. This is reflected in the high level of service and warm welcome guests receive, something our visitor surveys consistently confirm year after year.

At the same time, there's more to great hospitality than personal service. The quality of the physical environment and access to services throughout the year are equally important.

As Åre continues to grow—with more permanent residents and increasing numbers of visitors during the expanding summer and fall seasons—we need to prepare for future demand. That means creating a destination that not only meets visitors' expectations but also reflects today's sustainability ambitions.

What we set out to do

Åre wants—and needs—to take the next step in creating an even better year-round visitor experience, with a particular focus on the summer and fall seasons.

Compared with many established winter destinations, Åre still has work to do in adapting and caring for its natural surroundings and village environment during the snow-free months of spring, summer, and fall.

To achieve this, the destination needs clearer collaboration between the public and private sectors, along with new ways of organizing responsibility for the design, maintenance, and care of shared spaces.

Project funding

The project had a total budget of SEK 3 million over three years (2020–2023).
SEK 1.5 million was contributed by private partners, including Åre Destination, Jämtkraft, and Diös.
SEK 1.5 million was funded through the EU Regional Development Fund.

Utvecklingsprojekt: Åre Strand

In the winter of 2019, three member businesses of Åre Destination launched an initiative to raise funds for a project that would benefit the entire community. What started as a local idea quickly grew into a larger fundraising campaign involving businesses, residents, and visitors alike. The goal was to improve Åre Beach, one of the village's most popular gathering places during the summer months for both locals and visitors.

By the start of the 2020 summer season, the campaign had raised SEK 650,000, which was invested in improving the area around Åre Beach. Some enhancements were completed ahead of the summer season, while others continued into the following year.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to the fundraiser, especially during the challenging circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The fundraising campaign helped finance:

Extending the waterfront walking path all the way to Åre Marina
Extending the lighting along the path to Åre Marina
Ten new benches along the promenade
An outdoor gym in front of Holiday Club
A children's obstacle course next to the outdoor gym
A separate dock section for the diving platform at Åre Marina
Expanded lawn areas around Åre Marina
Additional swim ladders on the docks
A beach volleyball court
Lifebuoys along the shoreline
Cleanup following the unusually severe spring flooding
A 70 m² yoga and sun deck at Åre Marina
Three large sun loungers
Five new barbecue areas along the beach
Improved docks and better boat launch facilities at Åre Marina

Development project: A world-class biking destination 2.0

The A World-Class Biking Destination initiative was launched with the goal of making Åre Scandinavia's leading cycling destination—and one of Europe's top five—by 2025.
Built around the Biking Åre network, which brings together Åre's cycling community of businesses, clubs, and organizations, the project focused on identifying priorities and delivering initiatives that strengthen both the visitor experience and the long-term profitability of participating businesses. The investment also supports Åre's ambition to grow as a year-round destination, with a particular focus on the summer and fall seasons.

The overall goal was to increase the competitiveness of local businesses by creating more jobs, encouraging new business opportunities, and making Åre an even more attractive destination. Continued investment in cycling helps extend the tourism season and contributes to sustainable year-round growth.

The project had a total budget of SEK 16.5 million. Half of the funding (SEK 8.25 million) came from the European Regional Development Fund, with the remaining funding provided by Region Jämtland Härjedalen, SkiStar, Åre Bergscyklister, Åre Municipality, and Åre Destination.

Project funding
SEK 12 million for cycling infrastructure and related visitor facilities
SEK 3 million for marketing initiatives
SEK 1.5 million for project management, coordination, and knowledge sharing

Total budget: SEK 16.5 million

Åre Destination led the project, with the Biking Åre network serving as its reference group, representing Åre's cycling businesses, organizations, and associations.
For more information, contact project manager Therese Sjölundh at: [email protected] or +46 (0)70-347 86 87

The final project report for A World-Class Biking Destination. If you'd like access to the appendices, please contact Therese Sjölundh using the contact details above.

Result 2022

Highlights from the project:

Åre Trail Park – Björnen

The construction of Åre Trail Park – Björnen created an entirely new biking area that complements the lift-served trails on Åreskutan. Here, the focus is on trail riding powered by your own legs.

The development of the trail network has significantly increased interest in trail biking among both children and adults, and today the area is one of Åre's most popular cycling destinations for locals and visitors alike.

The trails were designed and built by local trail builders with sustainability at the heart of every decision. They are created to be fun, accessible, and enjoyable for riders of all ages and skill levels. All trails are wide, mostly smooth, and offer great flow while still incorporating technical features.

In addition to the trail network, the area includes a skills park, a pump track, and a children's biking area—making it the perfect place to learn the basics or develop new skills. The project also restored the historic Gamla Fröåvägen and created picnic and barbecue areas at Fröåtjärn, opening up excellent opportunities for scenic recreational cycling.

Today, Björnen is a great example of sustainable trail development, balancing the needs of riders, landowners, and nature. The investment has transformed the area into a vibrant summer destination while also helping spread visitor traffic across the municipality.

Today, SkiStar Åre operates the facility as part of Åre Bike Park.

Gravel and adventure cycling

While Åre is best known for its downhill and trail riding, it also offers some of Scandinavia's finest gravel and adventure cycling. Endless kilometers of gravel and paved roads wind through the mountains, forests, villages, lakes, and alpine landscapes of Jämtland.
Whether you're looking for a relaxed ride to a mountain café or planning a multi-day bikepacking adventure, Åre offers routes for every type of cyclist.

As part of the project, one of the destination's signature routes—Kallsjön Loop—was further developed and packaged with restaurants, scenic viewpoints, and the optional boat crossing aboard M/S Drottning Sophia, making the experience even more attractive to visitors.

Åre Bike Festival

Founded in 2010 by the local cycling club Åre Bergscyklister, Åre Bike Festival began as a way to showcase Åre's exceptional biking to the world. Today it has grown into one of the biggest events of the summer, attracting thousands of visitors every July.

The festival features races, group rides, exhibitors, film screenings, social events, and activities for riders of all ages and abilities. The long-term ambition is to establish Åre Bike Festival as a permanent fixture on the international cycling calendar.

Through the cycling project, the festival received support for marketing and continued development during the pandemic years. With international travel restored, the focus is now on attracting even more visitors from abroad.

ÅBC Pump track

In June 2022, a 2,000 m² asphalt pump track opened at Åre's National Alpine Arena, creating a fun and accessible cycling facility for everyone—from young children to seniors, beginners to experienced riders.

The project was led by Åre Bergscyklister, with support from Åre Destination through the cycling initiative. What was once an area used exclusively for alpine skiing in winter has been transformed into a year-round space for activity and recreation.

Marketing

Sharing Åre's cycling experiences with new audiences has been one of the project's key priorities. While locals have known about the area's outstanding riding for generations, targeted marketing efforts have introduced Åre to cyclists across Sweden and internationally through advertising, social media, events, photography, and film.

A major focus has been creating high-quality visual content that showcases the beauty, variety, and world-class riding available throughout Åre.
Biking in Åre

Development project: Trail running in the Åre mountains

The purpose of this project was to strengthen collaboration between Åre and the Southern Åre Mountains to unlock the region's potential as a trail running destination. Together, the partners worked to develop sustainable ways of welcoming more visitors while protecting the area's unique natural environment.

The project also focused on strengthening the marketing of trail running in Åre, both nationally and internationally. An important objective was to broaden the appeal beyond competitive runners and attract recreational trail runners by making the sport more accessible through improved information about trails and route networks.

Another key goal was to establish a long-term business model to support continued investment in trail running while helping ensure the future development of Fjällmaraton Week. Project goals:

Increase trail running guest nights by 100% between 2016 and 2020.
Develop three new race concepts or events by 2020.
Strengthen collaboration between Åre and the Southern Åre Mountains around trail running.

The project included further development of the ÅreTrails digital platform, connecting it more closely with the region's trail network. Study visits were carried out to neighboring destinations Klövsjö/Vemdalen and Funäsfjällen, as well as to leading European destinations, including Chamonix, to exchange knowledge and best practices. The project also involved close collaboration with landowners and other local stakeholders.

The ambition was to establish Åre and the surrounding region as one of Scandinavia's leading trail running destinations.
Read more about trail running in Åre >>

The project began in September 2016 and was completed on 30 November 2020.
View the project's final report (PDF)

Development project: Åre – A world-class biking destination

The vision behind this project was to establish Åre as one of Europe's five leading cycling destinations and Scandinavia's top biking destination by 2025.

Achieving that vision required more than great trails. It called for a complete destination offering—including a high-quality bike park, purpose-built cross-country trails, excellent accommodation, restaurants, transportation, professional cycling businesses, and, above all, a strong local cycling culture.

This vision was developed by Biking Åre, the local network that brings together Åre's cycling businesses, organizations, and enthusiasts. Their combined national and international experience formed the foundation for the project's long-term strategy.

Åre already had a strong reputation for downhill mountain biking, and that success helped fuel growing interest in other forms of cycling as the sport continued to grow both in Sweden and internationally. While further development was still needed to realize the vision, the right conditions, momentum, and local commitment were already in place.
The project aimed to support sustainable development by:

Directing cycling activity to appropriate areas.
Developing knowledge of sustainable trail construction, including drainage, trail alignment, erosion prevention, and new construction methods.
Evaluating and developing long-term business models for operating, maintaining, and further developing Åre's cycling infrastructure, while encouraging greater visitor responsibility for the environments they use.

To achieve the long-term vision through 2025, the overall investment was budgeted at SEK 15 million. The first phase (SEK 2 million) was funded by Björnberget Fastighetsutveckling, SkiStar, Åre Destination, and Leader Sjö, Skog och Fjäll.

The project combined long-term strategic destination development with immediate investments in new cross-country trails in Björnen.

Cross-country trails developed through the project: