LSN : Daily Signals : Airbnb and Strava champion countryside run-cations

Swedish campaign encourages doctors to prescribe visits

The Swedish Prescription by Visit Sweden, Sweden

Sweden – Visit Sweden has launched The Swedish Prescription, making it ‘the first country in the world prescribed by doctors’.

Developed in collaboration with Yvonne Forsell, a senior professor at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm with a clinical background in psychiatry, the marketing campaign draws on scientific research showing that time spent in nature, a balanced lifestyle and cultural engagement improves mental and physical health.

Patients worldwide can download a referral form from visitsweden.com and discuss the benefits of visiting the country with their doctor. ‘Medical doctors can generate a prescription,’ states the website, while stressing that ‘Visit Sweden does not cover any of the costs incurred’.

Covering three areas – nature, lifestyle and culture – the prescription includes activities such as forest walks, traditional fika rituals and art immersion.

The initiative positions travel as a tool for boosting physical health and aiding mental resetting, and as a restorative alternative to medicalised interventions.

This campaign embodies the principles of our Rebranding Nature design direction, which highlights how green spaces are developing distinctive visual identities and embracing wellness-led storytelling to inspire younger generations to connect with the natural world.

Strategic opportunity

Think outside the box when it comes to how your brand delivers value. Explore unconventional ways to engage consumers – whether through wellness, learning or cultural immersion – to create standout experiences and memorable campaigns

Airbnb and Strava champion countryside run-cations

UK – Airbnb and Strava are tapping into ‘the rural run-cation’, staycations built around scenic runs, fresh air and connection with friends. As explored in our Sports Tourism Market report, travellers are increasingly designing trips around movement, wellbeing and socialising.

New research conducted by Airbnb and Strava found that 74% of 18–29-year-olds have planned or are considering a countryside running break, seeking scenic trails, fresh air and connection over urban congestion.

With two-thirds of young adults now identifying as regular runners, and Gen Z athletes on Strava up 30% in the past 18 months, the trend reflects a fitness boom and growing fatigue with ‘city loops’ – 56% or survey respondents say they’re bored of predictable urban routes.

To meet this appetite, Airbnb and Strava have spotlighted rural stays across the UK with nearby running routes, where Strava Maps can be used for easy discovery. The partnership also adds a sweet incentive, with complimentary post-run treats from local bakeries, aligning with the 72% of young runners who plan rewards after exercising.

For more travel and hospitality insights, read our Optimised Odysseys macrotrend report.

Airbnb and Strava, UK

Strategic opportunity

Create experience ecosystems that merge sport, culture and place – collaborate with local brands to transform everyday exercise into an aspirational, shareable journey of movement and meaning

Stat: Gen Z lead European travel boom with highest spending and trip frequency

Away, US

Europe – Gen Z are driving a significant surge in European travel, outspending and out-travelling all other generations. According to MMGY’s 2025 Portrait of European Travellers, Gen Z plan to spend an average of £4,788 ($6,434, €5,400) on international trips over the next 12 months and take an average of 3.4 holidays over the next two years, surpassing older generations in both metrics.

This demographic is also leading the way in organised group travel, with 45% of people surveyed expressing interest in joining such trips over the next year. Gen Z’s intentions highlight the growing importance of sociable, community-driven experiences, a key facet of the To-gather Travel theme in our Optimised Odysseys macrotrend.

Technology is reshaping how people research and book trips. Nearly half of European leisure travellers (48%) have used AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT for planning, while platforms like Booking.com are preferred by 65% of travellers for integrated, smart itinerary building. These trends reflect the rise of Intellitrips – tech-driven, hyper-personalised travel experiences powered by smarter automation.

Sports tourism is also a major draw. Nearly one in four Europeans, including 49% of Gen Zers, plan to travel to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Mexico, Canada and the US, reinforcing the appeal of large-scale, immersive experiences. For more, explore our Sports Tourism Market.

Strategic opportunity

Gen Z are driving new travel purposes and planning methods. Brands should focus on providing community-driven, immersive experiences and seamless, tech-enabled booking that enhance the travel experience before, during and after trips