New research reveals a growing demand for quieter travel: 67% of travellers prefer destinations where social interaction feels optional, 53% would pay extra for more peace, privacy or fewer crowds, and 41% identify as introverts.
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sweden is opening The Introvert Travel Agency, designed to help travellers discover, book and recharge in Sweden—with less social pressure and more freedom to explore on their own terms.
Sweden's travel agency for introverts
According to a recent YouGov survey, only 14% describe themselves as extroverts, while 41% identify as introverts and another 45% as a mix of both. Nearly half say they sometimes need a "vacation from their vacation" to recover after travelling. The research also shows that 67% of travellers prefer destinations where social interaction feels optional rather than expected.
"For introverts, recharging is often less about being alone and more about having control over when and how we interact with others," says Mattias Lundberg, a licensed psychologist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Umeå University. "Environments with less social pressure, more personal space and the possibility to withdraw can make it easier to preserve and regain energy. Sweden naturally offers many of these qualities, which makes it particularly well suited to travellers who want to experience a destination on their own terms."
In Sweden, silence does not automatically need filling. Having a coffee alone is unremarkable; personal space is generally respected. Sweden's low population density and the right of public access, allemansrätten, allow visitors to experience nature independently at their own pace.
"Many travellers are looking for something surprisingly simple: the freedom to decide when they want company and when they don't," says Susanne Andersson, CEO of Visit Sweden. "Sweden has always offered that kind of space, in our nature, our cities and our social culture. The Introvert Travel Agency makes it easier to experience Sweden in your own way. Here, being social is an option, not an obligation."
The Introvert Travel Agency is available online and will launch as a pop-up experience, bringing Sweden's nature, space and relaxed social culture to life for visitors looking to plan a quieter kind of holiday. The pop-up will visit:
- Berlin, October 14 – 17
- Paris, October 21 – 24
- London, October 28 – 31
More information: visitsweden.com/the-introvert-travel-agency/
Video: https://youtu.be/SUG2ACZotP8
Press images
Source: Survey, June/July 2026, VisitSweden/YouGov
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Sweden Opens Travel Agency for Introverts
As global demand for sustainable cooling accelerates, i2Cool, a pioneer in electricity-free passive radiative cooling technology, announced the expansion of its functional fabric portfolio with two new solutions: i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber and i2Tarpaulin. Going beyond conventional shading, these fabrics are engineered to reflect incoming solar radiation while continuously dissipating trapped heat, actively lowering surface temperatures without electricity.
SHENZHEN, China, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- i2Cool, a technology company specializing in electricity-free passive radiative cooling materials, has expanded its functional fabric portfolio with two outdoor cooling solutions: i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber and i2Tarpaulin.
Designed for different application scales but built around the same thermal-management principle, the two fabric solutions go beyond conventional shading. Instead of simply blocking sunlight, they are engineered to reflect a significant portion of incoming solar radiation while releasing accumulated heat through mid-infrared radiation, helping reduce heat gain without electricity or refrigerants.
This common cooling mechanism allows i2Cool to extend its passive radiative cooling technology across a broad range of textile-based applications—from portable sun umbrellas and golf umbrellas to outdoor canopies, tents, greenhouse shading systems and membrane structures.
From Blocking Sunlight to Managing Heat
Conventional shading materials primarily reduce direct light exposure but often trap rising heat underneath. i2Cool's reflective cooling fabrics are designed to address both sunlight and thermal build-up. The fabrics integrate an electricity-free cooling nanoparticle layer alongside durable protective and blackout structures. By combining high solar reflectivity with exceptional mid-infrared emissivity, the materials prevent solar heat absorption while continuously radiating thermal energy outward. This breakthrough builds upon i2Cool's proprietary passive radiative cooling research, previously published in Science, adapting laboratory-grade cooling into flexible, weather-resistant textiles.
i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber: Cooling for Everyday Outdoor Shade
i2Umbrella Fabric-Hyber is tailored for lightweight outdoor products, including sun umbrellas, golf umbrellas, patio shades and outdoor canopies. The fabric achieves solar reflectivity of up to 76% and mid-infrared emissivity of up to 96%, alongside a 99% UV-blocking rate, full blackout capabilities, and high water repellency.
In a controlled outdoor comparative test, i2Cool fabric recorded an internal ambient temperature 5.2°C cooler than an unshaded area and 2.4°C cooler than conventional silver-coated sun-protection fabrics
The product range includes lightweight umbrella fabrics as well as heavier configurations for golf umbrellas and outdoor canopies, allowing the same cooling principle to be adapted to different shading products.
i2Tarpaulin: Cooling for Heavy-Duty Outdoor and Industrial Applications
For larger-scale applications, i2Tarpaulin extends the electricity-free cooling concept to heavy-duty structural covers.
Delivering solar reflectivity of up to 85% and mid-infrared emissivity of up to 95%, the materials are ideal for greenhouse roof, parking canopies, temporary and recreational shelters, balcony sunshades and membrane-structure pavilions.
Field deployment in an agricultural greenhouse in Kashgar, Xinjiang demonstrated a peak internal temperature reduction of up to 8.3°C (averaging 5.4°C lower), yielding an estimated facility cooling energy-saving rate of 28.7%. Designed for rigorous environmental exposure, i2Tarpaulin offers an outdoor operational lifespan of over 10 years and complies with China B1 and Europe M2 fire-retardant standards.
A Partner in Sustainable Cooling
"Partnering with i2Cool allowed us to significantly reduce cooling expenses across our greenhouses while safeguarding crop yields during peak summer heat," said a representative of the greenhouse project in Kashgar, Xinjiang "The internal temperature dropped immediately upon installation, providing a reliable, electricity-free solution that fundamentally transforms agricultural thermal control."
One Cooling Principle, Scalable Applications
Although umbrella fabrics and tarpaulins address different markets, both embody i2Cool's unified materials strategy: mitigating solar absorption while accelerating outward radiative heat dissipation without energy input. By scaling this principle from portable consumer goods to commercial infrastructure and smart agriculture, i2Cool is establishing an adaptable materials platform ready for seamless integration into diverse outdoor products.
About i2Cool
i2Cool is a technology company specializing in electricity-free passive radiative cooling materials. Founded by researchers from the School of Energy and Environment at City University of Hong Kong, the company develops commercial applications based on advanced radiative cooling research published in Science. Its product portfolio spans coatings, films, textiles and other functional materials for applications across buildings, industry, agriculture and outdoor environments.
Media Contact:
i2Cool PR Team
Email: [pr@i2cool.com]
Website: [www.i2cool.com]
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i2Cool Launches Smart Fabrics That Actively Cool Umbrellas and Shading Structures Without Power
