Allyson Caverly

GEOG 290-02
Professor Price
February 10th, 2016
Stockholm, Sweden and Mumbai, India
1. Travel to the Cities (5 points)
A. In order to travel to Stockholm, I would need to take a taxi from my house to Bradley
International Airport, followed by flights from Bradley to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta
International Airport, from Atlanta to Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris,
France, and from Paris to Stockholm-Arlanda International Airport, Stockholms
primary airport. I would then have to take a taxi from Arlanda to Stockholm, an
approximately 40-kilometer drive.
To travel to Mumbai, I would have to take a taxi from my house to Bradley
International Airport, followed by flights from Bradley to Newark International
Airport, Newark to Zurich International Airport in Zurich, Switzerland, and Zurich to
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. From there, I could either walk
or take a taxi to downtown Mumbai, only a mile away.
B. With flight and taxis, traveling to Stockholm will cost approximately $929.
With flight and taxis, traveling to Mumbai will cost approximately $932.
2. Tourism Attractions (10 points)
A. In Stockholm, the primary reason for tourism, it seems, would be culture. Stockholm
bills itself as the capital of Scandinavia and lives up to that name, having increased
its international visitation by 50% from 2001 to 2011. Eleven of the citys top 20
tourist destinations are either museums, or related to the government of Sweden (ex.
city hall, The Royal Palace.)
Mumbai also seems to emphasize the historical and cultural aspect of their tourism
industry, highlighting colonial buildings from occupation by the British Empire, and
touting itself as the Gateway to India. Just off of Marine Drive, a main street in

Mumbai is the former residence of Mahatma Gandhi, which serves as a museum of

sorts, and plays recordings and films of his speeches.
B. In Stockholm, the two places Id like to travel to most would be Skansen, an open-air
museum in the Djurgarden region of the city. It was founded in 1891, as a way to
show visitors how the people of Sweden lived prior to the industrial era. It also
houses a zoo, showcasing many of the animals native to Scandinavia, such as grey
seals, lynx, and wolverines. I would also like to go to the Casino Cosmopol, to see
what nightlife is like elsewhere in the world. Casino Cosmopol owns four different
casinos across the country, but the largest, and newest, is located in the heart of
downtown Stockholm. With several bars and restaurants, a luxury sports bar called
SportsZone, and almost 450 different slots and table games, it is one of the premiere
destinations for nightlife in the city.
In Mumbai, Id like to visit Nehru Science Centre. Founded in 1977, Nehru is Indias
largest interactive science center. It has over 500 exhibits on sound, energy,
mechanics, transport, and others branches of science. Id also like to visit Marine
Drive, the main street in Mumbai. It boasts 4.3 kilometers of shopping and sight
seeing, including the citys premiere beach, Chowpatty Beach.
C. In Stockholm, the main attractions are very much spread out. This is due in large part
to the fact that Stockholm is a large city, situated not in one central area, but across
several smaller islands and peninsulas.
In Mumbai, the attractions are very concentrated in the city, as is noted by the design
of streets and roads leading to one area towards the center. Transportation is also
difficult due to the high population density; therefore a concentrated set of attractions
helps to alleviate road travel to get to them.
3. Tourism Accommodations (10 points)

A. In Mumbai, if on a budget, I would choose to stay at the Hotel Alfa. . If money were
of no importance, I would stay at The Oberoi Mumbai.
In Stockholm, if on a budget I would stay at Hostel ACCO. If money were of no
importance, I would stay at The Hilton Stockholm Slussen.
i. In Mumbai, the Hotel Alfa is $17 a night, whereas The Oberoi is $194.
In Stockholm, the Hostel ACCO is $30 a night, whereas the Hilton is $369 a
night.
ii. The Hotel Alfa has private rooms and private bathrooms, with air conditioning
and free WiFi. For $17 a night, thats a pretty good value. Most low budget
hotels around the area have shared rooms and bathrooms, dont offer air
conditioning, and much less free WiFi. The Oberoi offers everything you
would expect from a luxury resort hotel; free WiFi, a restaurant, bar, and
lounge located onsite, concierge service, pool, spa, and beauty salon all onsite,
and free valet service. Comparatively to most luxury hotels in the U.S., The
Oberoi at $194 a night seems to be a solid value, with all the amenities of a
top luxury resort for under $200 a night.
The Hostel ACCO in Stockholm, for the rate of $30 a night, offers a shared
dormitory with a shared bathroom. There is also a small lounge area with TV,
WiFi, and free coffee and tea. For $30 a night, this doesnt seem like a great
value. I enjoy my privacy, especially when traveling abroad, and paying even
$30 to stay with strangers in a dormitory style room isnt terribly exciting to
me. The Hilton, on the other hand, is a true resort hotel. It offers a restaurant
and bar on premises, as well as free WiFi, a concierge, free valet parking, a
42-inch TV in all rooms, and a fitness facility and sauna. $369 a night is
extremely expensive, even by the standards of U.S. luxury hotels. However,

the Hilton does include all the amenities youd expect from a hotel of its
caliber, and therefore is a good value for the price.
B. In Stockholm, the two accommodations I listed are, surprisingly, only about 10
minutes from each other by subway. It is hard to say whether they are located close
together because of proximity to attractions, only because the urban area of
Stockholm is so spread out. Attractions across the city span, potentially, 45 minutes
apart at the widest point. I believe that the hostel and the hotel are located in the same
area because it seems to be fairly close to the city center, putting it in the middle of
the areas attractions.
In Mumbai, the two hotels I listed are very far apart. The travel time between the two
of them is approximately an hour. The Alfa seems to be in a more crowded, less welloff area of the city, whereas the Oberoi seems to be on the outskirts, more towards the
water, for privacy and seclusion from the hustle and bustle of Mumbais city center.
While the two hotels are located rather far from one another, the main attractions in
Mumbai seem to be located around the same area, and the hotels I mentioned are
located relatively equidistant from the city center.
4. Travel within the Cities (10 points)
A. Stockholms primary modes of transportation seem to be walking, cycling, and the
Tunnelbana subway system. Most websites urge to stay away from taxis on the
whole, as tourists in the area fall victim to scams rather often. One can rent a bike for
around 250SEK (Swedish Krona) for a 3-day period, and if cycling around the city,
you can see all the sites as you travel around. The Tunnelbana is a subway system that
connects the entire city, and is fairly economical if purchasing a 24 or 72-hour pass.
Mumbai, due to its high population, seems to be difficult to get around. Websites
seem to suggest hiring a private car for the duration of your stay. There are also train

systems to get around, but they get crowded and do not service the entire city, leaving
you to either use a bus or walk to your destination.
B. Both cities, if spending the majority of your time in the city center, are pedestrian
friendly. Both downtowns are bustling and busy, but are laid out in such a way that
finding your way around to main attractions on foot wouldnt be terribly difficult.
However, it is worth noting that both cities are very spread out, and walking the entire
city would be almost impossible.
C. Stockholm, between the Tunnelbana, other trains, and busses, has an extremely
comprehensive network of public transportation. Most websites, in fact, suggest using
all modes of public transport around the city, as they are, apparently, extremely easy
to use for tourists. The public transportation system in Stockholm also seems to be the
most cost-effective way to find your way around the city.
Mumbai, on the other hand, doesnt have quite so developed of a public transport
system. While the city has trains and busses, it lacks a subway system. The trains that
service the city are overcrowded, especially at rush hour, and the doors on all trains
do not close while the train is moving. The trains also do not service certain areas of
the city. The bus routes, according to most websites, are confusing and also do not
service certain areas of the city, leaving you to find your way to your destination
either on foot or by taxi.
5. Stockholm and Mumbai, despite both being in developed countries, and centers for business
and tourism, have striking similarities and differences. Stockholm, the capital of
Scandinavia has all the amenities of any other major European city. Culture, history, and the
arts take center stage in Stockholm, bolstered by an extremely well developed public
transportation system that is encouraged for use by tourists. There is, of course, the potential
for a language barrier, but the locals in most major tourist destinations most often speak

English as well as their native language. On the whole, Stockholm seems to be more
expensive than Mumbai, as might be expected from a major European city. The
accommodations are more expensive in both the budget and luxury ranges, however, the
disparity between the two is much less pronounced. While Stockholm does have an extensive
public transport system, it is an extremely spread out city, which could cause very lengthy
travel times between destinations.
Mumbai, although one of the largest and most developed cities in all of India, is not quite on
par in terms of development as compared to a major European city. It has a densely
populated and crowded city center, boasting hundreds of places to eat, stay, and shop, but
lacks the transportation system to allow tourists to easily enjoy what the entire city has to
offer. Mumbai is far and away the more cost effective option, offering a five star hotel for
under $200 a night. While there is a large gap between the budget and luxury
accommodations in terms of both price and amenities, both ends of the spectrum are rather
inexpensive overall. One of the biggest issues Mumbai faces is the fact that due to its high
population density, travel by any means across the city is difficult. Although most attractions
seem to be concentrated around the city center, getting to a restaurant or hotel on the outskirts
of the city could take well over an hour, depending on traffic and the time of day.
6. After extensively researching both cities, I think Id most like to visit Stockholm. Ive always
been intrigued by the Scandinavian way of life; simple, minimalistic, but yet somehow
refined. The city is laid out in a way that is easily accessible to tourists, and although the
prices seem to be higher overall than Mumbai, the difference is not so large as to prohibit
tourists from enjoying all the city has to offer. The art, history, and culture contained within
the city could keep me occupied for days on end, not to mention the fact that Stockholm
houses some of the best and most unique restaurants in the world. I would love to have the

opportunity to visit Stockholm, one of the oldest cities in all of Europe, and absorb
everything I could from it.

Reference Page

"Stockholm: Getting Around." - TripAdvisor. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.

<https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g189852-s302/Stockholm:Sweden:Getting.Around.html>.
"Mumbai (Bombay): Getting Around." - TripAdvisor. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.
<https://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g304554-s302/MumbaiBombay:India:Getting.Around.html>.
"Mumbai Google Maps." Google Maps. Google. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
"Stockholm Google Maps." Google Maps. Google. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
"Stockholm Hotels." Kayak. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <Kayak.com>.
"Mumbai Hotels." Kayak. Web. 10 Feb. 2016. <Kayak.com>.
"Facts About Stockholm's Tourism Industry." Stockholm Visitors Board. Web. 10 Feb. 2016.
<http://www.stockholmbusinessregion.se/Documents/Facts-statistics/Fakta_turism_ENG -11
LR.pdf>.

"Mumbai Travel and Tourism Guide." Travel India. Web. 09 Feb. 2016.
<http://travel.india.com/mumbai/>.