Hilton Taps Scandic to Grow Across the Nordics, Starting With Copenhagen

Hilton and Scandic Hotels Group have signed a multi-year strategic agreement to develop Hilton-branded properties across Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, with a 284-room Hilton Hotels & Resorts property at Scanport, next to Copenhagen Airport, slated to open in 2029.

The structure matters here. Scandic will operate the Copenhagen hotel under a franchise agreement with Hilton — Scandic runs the building, Hilton supplies the brand and distribution. And the partners were careful to scope the deal: it targets individual development opportunities market by market, not a broad conversion of Scandic's roughly 280-hotel Nordic network.

For context on scale, Hilton brings 24 brands and more than 7,600 properties globally, while Scandic operates about 58,000 rooms across more than 130 Nordic destinations. The deal pairs Hilton's commercial reach with Scandic's regional operating platform.

"This strategic agreement represents a significant milestone for Hilton in the Nordics, creating a clear pathway to expand our leading brands across four important markets," Hilton president and CEO Chris Nassetta said.

What does the first project look like?

The Copenhagen property sits adjacent to Scandinavia's largest aviation hub. The full-service hotel will carry:

• a restaurant and bar
• meeting and event facilities
• wellness amenities and a fitness area
• an executive lounge overlooking the Öresund Strait

Construction starts once remaining pending conditions are met, so the 2029 opening date remains an expectation rather than a fixed schedule.

Does the relationship have a track record?

It does. Hilton and Scandic have worked together for more than two decades, and three Hilton Hotels & Resorts properties currently operate in Helsinki: Hilton Helsinki Airport, Hilton Helsinki Strand and Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa — all franchised and operated by Scandic. Hilton Helsinki Airport is also set for a multi-phase refurbishment to modernize key guest-facing areas.

"Having successfully franchised and operated Hilton hotels in Helsinki for many years, we have demonstrated the strength of combining a global brand with Scandic's leading operational platform," Scandic president and CEO Jens Mathiesen said.

Why the Nordics, and why now?

The demand backdrop is strong. In 2025, Sweden recorded more than 70 million guest nights, Denmark around 68 million, Norway more than 40 million and Finland over 23 million. International demand — including from the United States and major European source markets — has contributed strongly to growth, supported by rising interest in nature-based experiences and cooler-climate destinations.

Loyalty is the other lever. The companies plan to announce new cross-benefits for Hilton Honors members — nearly 190 million of them — and members of Scandic Friends, the Nordic region's largest hotel loyalty program, at a later date. The stated ambition: open the Nordics to Hilton Honors members and the world to Scandic Friends.

What does this change for operators and owners in the region? It gives Hilton a scaled local operator to carry its brands into four markets where it has had limited footprint outside Helsinki, while Scandic gains a global brand and booking channel to capture international demand it couldn't reach alone. Expect further site-by-site announcements across the four countries as the agreement develops.