The Great Wagon – a new digital meeting place for experiences in Arctic Sweden

A platform that makes it easier to find and book activities in northern Sweden – that’s what John Öhman and Tobias Johansson want to create with The Great Wagon. Through the platform, local activity companies throughout the county will be able to reach international guests without getting stuck in the technology.

“It’s an activity platform with its heart in Norrbotten,” say John and Tobias, who are behind the initiative.

The idea was born when John and Tobias were working as guides in Mörön outside Luleå. They received international groups, often through larger tour operators.

“We thought it should be possible to create something that makes it easier for guides to stand on their own feet while giving guests genuine experiences,” says Tobias.

The idea grew into The Great Wagon, which brings together local activity providers – an “Airbnb for guides” as John describes it. A service where guests can easily find, book, and combine experiences throughout Norrbotten.

“We want both guests and organizers to feel confident that everything is quality assured. The operators receive an onboarding guide, checklist, and policy to follow,” says John.

The advantages for small businesses are numerous. Through the platform, they gain increased online visibility, access to international customers, and easy booking management – without having to build their own systems. It costs nothing to join, and the commission is only taken on completed bookings.

“We want the money to stay here”

For the founders, it’s not just about technology, but about local development.

“We’re based in Norrbotten and want the money to stay here too. By bringing actors together under a common umbrella, we can collectively build a stronger tourism industry,” says Tobias.

John and Tobias want The Great Wagon to contribute to sustainable growth for the tourism industry in the north. Part of the vision is to introduce a tipping button where guests can make a voluntary contribution to nature conservation – a concrete way to give back to the nature that the experiences are built on.

They have been working hard to integrate the most common booking systems via APIs to make it as smooth as possible for companies to join.

“We are proud of our Norrbotten roots and want to welcome the world to experience Arctic Sweden – for real,” says John.

Curious? Find the website here.