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» Who We Are
Scandinavian Tourist Board - or STB as we are more popularly known - is a joint initiative by the national tourist boards of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. STB is responsible for promoting Scandinavia and Scandinavian tourism products in the Asia-Pacific markets, with particular emphasis on the major markets of Japan and China, and a focus approach to the promising markets of Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand. The main tasks of STB include producing market intelligence, carrying out promotional and PR activities, educating and supporting the local travel trade, and thus ultimately boosting lucrative, high-end tourism to Scandinavia.

STB is fully owned by VisitDenmark (formerly the Danish Tourist Board), Innovation Norway (which includes the former Norwegian Tourist Board), and Visit Sweden (the former Swedish Travel and Tourism Council). The STB regional head office is located in Tokyo, while Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, and Manila are home to our market offices and representatives. In markets with no direct representation, STB collaborates with Scandinavian entities such as the respective embassies, consulates, and trade offices.

» What We Do
STB offers the most comprehensive and professional palette of tourism promotion tools in Asia-Pacific. Our extensive network and more than 30 years of experience ensure that none of our competitors provide the same range of services or the same level of quality at the same low price.

STB's vast network of both Scandinavian and non-Scandinavian travel trade companies, governmental organization, NGOs, non-profit organizations, as well as non-tourism related businesses and media compose a solid foundation for STB's many different activities. And it is, as a matter of course, at the disposal of all our partners.
» Vision
The overall ambitions of STB are:
- To increase high-end Asia-Pacific travel to Scandinavia
- To increase awareness of Scandinavia and Scandinavian brand values in Asia-Pacific
- To increase awareness and knowledge of Scandinavian partner products in the Asia-Pacific markets
- Develop and nurture Asia-Pacific tourism as a key contributor to the Scandinavian economies
» Mission
Within tourism in Asia-Pacific, STB work to:
- Ensure STB as the main promotion coordinator,
- Establish STB as main hub for product and market development
- Realize STB as main tourism know-how center
- Become prime vehicle for Scandinavian branding and communications in Asia-Pacific in order to turn Scandinavia into a household name in the region
» Goals
The objectives of STB are:
- To be known as the most knowledgeable marketing center regarding Asia- Pacific outbound tourism
- To ensure our competences and knowledge is made available to the Scandinavian travel industry
- To maintain a commercially oriented and competitive organization
- To increase understanding of the importance of the Asia-Pacific outbound travel markets in Scandinavia
- To be recognized by both private and public entities in Scandinavia as the prime PR agency for Scandinavian branding in Asia-Pacific
» Values

Working within a complex, fast paced, multi-cultural environment, a guiding set of unifying values is imperative to securing progress and focus. STB values are:



All STB activities are carried out within these values, which provide the flexibility needed for solving different and sudden challenges while securing uniform results and maintaining same high level of quality.


Facilitator
STB functions as a bridge linking Asia-Pacific with Scandinavia. Whenever a tourist expresses an interest in visiting Scandinavia, we make sure this request is accommodated: that products are available and salable. This way we help our partners realize the full potentials of the Asia-Pacific markets.


Innovator
New ideas including new business approaches and unconventional alliances are vital for staying ahead in our industry characterized by harsh competition and falling margins.


Strategist
Apply the right mix of knowledge and resources to produce extraordinary results.


Knowledgeable
Only by continuously generating new knowledge will we maintain our competitive edge and provide our partners with the best services possible.

» Organization

STB Organizational Chart (PDF)

» The Structure of STB

Board of Directors
The highest decision making body in STB is the board of directors, whose members count the directors in charge of overseas tourism marketing in VisitDenmark, Innovation Norway, and Visit Sweden, respectively.
- Mr. Per Holte, Chairman (Innovation Norway)
- Mr. Flemming Bruhn (VisitDenmark)
- Mr. Thomas Brühl (Visit Sweden)


Strategy Group
The long term goals and strategies of STB are authorized by the strategy group, whose members are partners with stakes in STB amounting to more than five percent of STB's total turnover. The group meets twice a year on behalf of the Scandinavian travel trade to define and approve terms and conditions for the following three years.
- Mr. Olav Lühr, marketing director, Eastern Europe and Asia, Hurtigruten
- Mr. Hans W. Dyhrfort, vice president, Scandinavian Airlines Asia-Pacific
- Mr. Terje Thoresen, general manager, Scandinavian Airlines Promotion
- Mr. Martin Rosborg, managing director, Stockholm's Visitors Board
- Mr. Ole Andersen, marketing director, Wonderful Copenhagen
- Mr. Terje Devold, managing director, Fjord Norway
- Mr. Søren Leerskov, managing director Asia-Pacific, STB


Steering Committees
Each STB project has its own steering committee monitoring progresses and approving plans and budgets. The committees meet twice a year to evaluate and brief the individual project managers of their expectations. The projects each have detailed activity plans, progress documentation requirements, and success criteria. This information is contained in an exclusive project binder available to partners only.


Japan Campaign
- Mr. Tatsuyuki Ichinose, sales manager group dept., Gullivers Travel Associates
- Mr. Masaei Takemoto, assistant general manager, Business Development Northern Europe and Russia Dept., Miki Tourist
- Mr. Ole Johansson, Director & General Manager, Scandinavian Airlines Japan
- Mr. Mitsutaka Shoji, general manager, Tumlare Corporation
- Mr. Søren Leerskov, managing director Asia-Pacific, STB
- Mr. Taku Miyamoto, marketing manager, STB
- Mr. Kjell Ellefsen, senior executive, STB


IMO China Market Group
- Mr. Björn Ekegren, general manager, Scandinavian Airlines Beijing
- Ms. Shen Jing, passenger account executive, Scandinavian Airlines Beijing
- Mr. Søren Leerskov, managing director Asia-Pacific, STB
- Mr. Kjell Ellefsen, senior executive, STB
- Ms. Yan Xuan, country manager, STB China
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