Go niche

By SANDRA O'CONNELL

By SANDRA O'CONNELL

If Fáilte Ireland is worried that fewer tourists are visiting us, it should look to Jukkasjärvi for inspiration. The Swedish village is hardly a household name, but when it comes to the tourist equivalent of turning lemons into lemonade, it rocks.

- Situated 200km north of the Arctic Circle in Swedish Lapland, the only visitors it succeeded in attracting 20 years ago were white-water rafters, the odd survivalist and a couple of fishermen. Determined to capitalise on the only asset it had in abundance – ice – locals decided in 1989 to invite ice sculptors from around the world for an exhibition housed in a centre made of ice.

- More people turned up than expected, so some of them had to sleep in the ice hall in makeshift beds of reindeer skin. Despite temperatures of minus 5 degrees, all slept soundly – and awoke delighted with the experience, giving locals the idea to set up the world’s first hotel made entirely of ice.

- The 20th Jukkasjärvi Icehotel has just been completed. For the next four months people will pay up to €3,000 to stay in what has been voted Sweden’s best

travel experience. Now if only we could think of something to do with rain.

www.icehotel.com

Sandra O'Connell

Sandra O'Connell

Sandra O'Connell is a contributor to The Irish Times