It today's global world we live in the media have started to examine businesses more and more. In addition consumers are expecting more from products, because they are well informed. This means that companies need to market themselves effectively, to convince and get across their message to their customers. Marketing is an extensive process in which different factors must be taken into account. A company must know what the coustomer needs in order to get through to them. In addition for a company to ensure long-term survival in the market and be profitable, they must know their strategy. With the help of strategic planning, companies manages to achieve their overall goals.

The purpose of this report is to examine how communication company Visit Sweden and how markets company Stockholm Visitors Board, within tourism, markets the Image of Sweden, to other countries. My intention is to get better insights on the strategies applied in marketing, what factors are being raised to support the growth in the travel and tourism industry in Sweden. And also what attracts a tourist to travel to large cities. The material of this report is based on interviews with Visit Sweden, Stockholm Visitors Board table and Foreign Office. The literary sources consist of scientific literature, articles, websites, surveys and reports.

The report shows that for a company to market themselves in an effectives manner requires that they position and segment themselves. This is done to create a competitive product or brand. This report reveals that telecommunications company, Visit Sweden, markets itself on an international level, by its trademark "Sweden", whick is linked with nature. And Stockholm Visitors Board markets company itself through its brand name "Stockholm- The Capital of Scandinavia". The message that they are trying to send to turists is that Stcokholm is Scandinavia's capital, cultural center and economic center. They market Stockholm as a "modern" and trendy city with history of more than seven centuries. Reasons why Stockholm Visitors Board thinks that tourists choose to travel to Stockholm can be, to give them a big city and yet also a genuine nature. Both companies are working to increase growth in the travel and torusim industry.

It has also become clear in this report that for the growth of the travel and tourism indurstry to continue requires that the region's geographical characteristic is being lifted. Visit Sweden claims that one appealing factors for Sweden is availability, because of the many direct air routes to Sweden. Other important factors are exports, accommodation and cuisine. Visit Sweden is working efficiently to attract more and more tourists.

Thus, it is necessary that a region has a strong image and strong profile for the government to invest more. It turned out that the Ministry of Industry increased allocation by 50 million, which gave Visit Sweden the possibility to invest even more on international markets. This resulted in positive figures in 2009, which ended up at 12.9 million overnight visits from other countries.