Increasing competition for Norwegian tourism
Viewpoint at Geirangerfjord. Photo: C.H./Innovation Norway
With fjords, mountains, the Arctic, and more, Norway has much to offer to tourists. But in a down economy and expensive prices, Norwegian Minister of Trade and Industry, Sylvia Brustad, created a competition for new tourism projects with a financial incentive. The competition began in June 2009
Translation by Christy Olsen Field
Norwegian American Weekly
With attractive package deals, Norway can attract more tourists as well as Norwegians abroad. The Ministry of Trade and Industry selected four projects, each of which receive NOK 600,000 in support.
“It’s not enough to have good individual products. We must be able to offer a full experience of Norway to win in the ever-increasing competition for tourism,” said Minister Brustad in June.
On Wednesday, Sept. 9, Brustad announced the results of the four winners:
Finnmark Reiselivsklynge: “The Best of the Arctic”
The “Best of the Arctic” project will develop and establish the destination and the round-trip packages throughout Finnmark. Several of the region’s lighthouses come together as an initial incentive for tourism, but also is a driving force for a number of smaller tourism suppliers’ experience. Creating year-round activities and packages will allow the region to encourage tourism during traditionally low seasons. The
Finnmark Reiselivsklynge is a collaboration between Rica Finnmark AS, Nordkapphallen, Lapland Park, Incoming Kirkenes, Via Alta Tours, Hutigruten AS and Sorrisniva AS. These will involve local suppliers in the entire county in packages that are developed.
Experience Fredrikstad AS – “Comprehensive package deals in the Oslo fjord”
Experience Fredrikstad AS will develop and establish adventure packages to ensure that national and foreign tourists who are in Oslo visiting several places in the region. Experience Fredrikstad has proposed 10 integrated packages where the urban concept Oslo is utilized and included in the regional concept based round trips and destination visits to make better use of visitors already in the region.
Cooperation between the counties around the Oslo Fjord, Visit Oslo, and Experience Fredrikstad (owned by municipalities and trade stand in Fredrikstad), with the region’s local actors as suppliers in the packages.
Finse 1222 – “Ice Fjord and Mountains”
Finse’s “Ice Fjord and Mountains” project will develop and unite the region’s character with snow and ice, fjords and mountains. The Rallarveg through Buskerud, Hordaland and Sogn & Fjordane will be used as the link and starting point for a variety of experiences.
A new information platform will provide better for Norwegian and foreign tourists, thereby ensuring a long tourism season, and to illustrate the diversity of Norway’s geography. The project creates a journey through all that Norway has to offer by unspoiled nature and powerful experiences.
Cooperation between lodging, dining and activity providers along Rallarvegen, as well as NSB and other relevant transporters is included in the project.
Arctic Circle Norway – “The complete experience of Helgeland!”
The Arctic Circle Norway project will develop, market and sell themed comprehensive product packages and round trips in the Helgeland region, such as island-hopping, cycling, hiking in “The Great National park route”, sea and coast around in a kayak. The focus is placed on developing a system for environmental and quality marketing of the experience. It are also designed to incorporate lessons learned from the project in a larger research context of creating a thematic whole experience. The project can help to manifest the so-called “Blue Sky effect” at home and abroad.
The Arctic Circle Norway project is in cooperation between the region’s three largest tourism organizations, Arctic Circle Travel, Tourism and Helgeland Destination Helgeland AS, and includes a number of local adventure, transportation, dining and accommodation providers.
Regions on the map
Originally Minister Brustad had envisioned two projects as the winners of the competition, but after examining the 50 projects that were entered in the competition, she chose four clear winners. Just the announcement of the competition has sparked a series of cooperative initiatives.
Minister Brustad announced the winners at Innovation Norway’s kick-off for tourism.
“We have emphasized that these projects will provide a broad, regional cooperation platform, which provides great potential for creating year-round jobs in the tourism industry. There have also been important that the projects are suitable to set their own region on the map of Norway and Norway on world map,” said Brustad.
Information from Aftenposten.no was included in this article.
