In collaboration with Google, Visit Faroe Islands developed the program, which provides visitors with an itinerary, leading them to not-so-popular spots and helping to disperse tourism traffic. Through this partnership, Visit Faroe Islands introduced new rental cars, equipped with built-in tour guides to bring this vision to life.

“Across the globe, tourists gather around the same iconic ‘hot spots’, driven by algorithms and social media that create a closed ecosystem where images from popular places attract even more people to those very locations. The result is overtourism—and predictable experiences,” Guðrið Højgaard, chief executive officer for Visit Faroe Islands, said in a press release. “Faroe Islands have experienced increasing pressure on selected sites themselves, and now we are trying to reverse the flow—quite literally.”

After reserving with 62N car rental, which is a partner of Visit Faroe Islands, tourists have to scan a QR code to activate one of the 30 itineraries in the car. Curated from a locals’ perspective, the routes include activities such as hiking in the fjords, seeing historic places along Europe’s tallest sea cliffs, and a stop at a local fish-and-chips stand on the road.

Each self-guided itinerary is designed to last between three and six hours, featuring four to six stops. To encourage a sense of spontaneous discovery, the navigation system only reveals one destination at a time. Throughout the journey, the system also enriches the experience by sharing local stories relevant to the places visited. “These routes are shaped by the people who live here, offering a more authentic perspective,” said Marta Káradóttir, Content & Communications Manager at Visit Faroe Islands and project manager behind the initiative.

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Upon renting a vehicle, tourists agree to follow the pre-prepared itinerary and explore the destinations that are gradually revealed to them. “We set out to explore how technology and creativity could offer a new way for travellers to discover the Faroes—one that leads them into places they might never find on their own,” added Højgaard. “With this initiative, we hope to lead by example, demonstrating how destinations can embrace innovation to spread tourism more responsibly and meaningfully.”

As part of the launch phase, three rental vehicles in the Faroe Islands will adopt this methodology, with the goal of eventually extending it to all rental cars.

The innovative cards can be booked via the Faroe Islands’ tourism website with prices starting at approximately €88.

L’article Faroe Islands introduce self-navigating cars to combat overtourism est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

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The Faroe Islands have seen an explosion in tourist numbers over the last decade. Thanks to social media campaigns and nature snaps of some enthused adventurers, people are eager to visit the island group despite its annual 300 days of rain. Even though there are only 55,000 Faroese, over 110,000 visitors set foot on the islands every year, most of them over summer. Some stay for a couple or days or weeks, others just hop off their cruise for a couple of hours. And if 110,000 tourists a year might not seem like a lot for many tourist destinations, the Faroe Islands weren’t entirely prepared as they should have been, according to Guðrið Højgaard, the director of Visit Faroe Islands.

Because of the rising number of visitors – and therefore also accidents, as the islands are known for their tricky geography and weather – farmers have started asking visitors for a fee, often of the amount of 200 Danish króna or about 27 euros. They see this as fitting, since the tourists are walking on their private land and many farmers now also offer guiding services to prevent accidents from happening. Hotspots such as the floating lake at Trælanipa, the lagoon at Saksun and the sea stacks at Dunnesdrangar are some of the sights visitors now have to pay for.

“Farming was our life-blood for centuries and our oldest written document is the ‘Sheep Letter’ from 1298, which sets out the rules about compensation for trespass. But if tourists pay a fee, or environment tax, then we need to ensure the money is used to protect nature. And, I don’t think people should be charging without offering a service”, Høgni Hoydal, the minister for trade and industry, commented to the Guardian about farmers starting to ask visitor fees.

According to the tourism board, it’s up to politicians to decide whether or not asking such fees should be allowed and to discuss the issue of public access.

L’article Faroe Islands farmers introduce visit fee for nature tourism hotspots est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

“The locals have decided to erect a headstone themselves in memory of the spy,” says a statement from the authorities. “The headstone is made of local basalt and was prepared by a mason from the village of Skopu. It was then transported to Kalsoy, where Bond bumped into fate.”

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As a way to commemorate the end of the era of Bond played by Craig, the inhabitants of the Faroe Islands and the Tourist Board installed a tombstone to remember the story depicted in the film. Those in charge of tourism in the area even recorded a video promoting the memorial, in addition to offering an official tour of the archipelago.

The headstone was unveiled by the islands’ own prime minister on Wednesday, 23 March. It is a replica of Bond’s parents’ gravestone, shown in “Skyfall.” Inscribed on the stone is also the phrase: “The function of man is to live, not just to exist.

The video shows how the tombstone was erected and explains the importance of the fictional character for the region. “James Bond was here, but never returned home. Now the islanders have decided to commemorate him. Bond will forever be remembered at the place where he was last seen in the Faroe Islands,” the video states.

This is the most remote James Bond movie location yet.

Faroese tourist board

The guided tour offers tourists a tour of the sites that served as the setting for director Cary Joji Fukunaga’s film, including the house the film crew used as a base camp.

Meanwhile, the tombstone is dated between 1962 and 2021, the years when the first and most recent films in the popular saga were released. “In memory of James Bond, 1962-2022,” can be read inscribed on the stone.

Of course, the franchise doesn’t end with this film; in fact, it should return with the 26^th instalment, only it won’t feature Daniel Craig in the cast. In the end credits of the film, thanks are given to Jóhannus Kallsgarð, a local sheep farmer, who shepherded the 60-strong crew as The King of Kalsoy. He is now the tour guide for James Bond’s official Faroe Islands tour and is truly a local hero who makes for a good story. Jóhannus’ main occupation revolves around the 750 sheep that graze the steep hills of Kalsoy’s northern tip. The increased interest in the island has added to the young farmer’s working routine.

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“It’s the only way I could see for myself to end it all and have that be my tenure, someone else could come in and take over,” Daniel Craig noted in an interview with Variety.

The tombstone will be a tourist landmark that visitors can get to know. On the island’s tourism website, there is already a special Bond-themed tour that takes in Borðoy and Kalsoy, as well as the Kalsoyarfjørður strait.

L’article James Bond’s gravestone becomes new travel attraction of Faroe Islands est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.