Page 33 - Culture Mag
P. 33
Chilling out
in Sweden’s Icehotel and admire aurora borealis
YNGVE BERGQVIST FOUNDER OF ICEHOTEL
Yngve Bergqvist, entrepreneur and founder of Icehotel, arrived at Jukkasjärvi for the first time in the mid-1970s. At that time it was the long spring-winters, which offered perfect surface for skiing that attracted him. Once on site, he saw lots of unexplored opportunities. Suddenly he was in charge of the development of the Old Homestead in Jukkasjärvi.
Yngve and his colleagues saw the potential of paddling and fishing in Torne River and started a canoe center. The interest was huge and Jukkasjärvi soon became one of Sweden and Europe’s first rafting destinations.
