The Faroe Islands have launched a new initiative with rental cars to combat overtourism by redirecting visitors to lesser-known, authentic local destinations, offering a more sustainable and immersive travel experience. This innovative approach aims to alleviate pressure on popular sites while showcasing the islands’ hidden gems.
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.
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.
