In another example of overtourism reaching some of the remotest places on Earth, authorities 300km inside the Arctic Circle on Norway’s Lofoten Islands are taking steps to manage visitor numbers and mitigate the impact of so many arrivals on the natural landscapes that are such a draw.
Outsiders are not exactly unheard of in this once-important waypoint for Vikings that offered a lifeline for centuries of fishermen from Iceland and elsewhere. A leisure sailor who visited in the mid-1990s told Travel Tomorrow: “There was no sign of overtourism back then. In the silence of the midnight sun the jagged peaks cast shadows with a peculiar beauty unseen further south. Travelling by sailing boat you could moor in spectacular coves with only wildlife for company. In kind weather, you could swim in the crystal clear sea, north of the Arctic Circle. It is breathtaking.”
Now promoted by Visit Norway among the country’s top three destinations, the islands welcomed an estimated one million visitors in 2023, meaning guests arriving by cruise, car, bus, and air outnumbered inhabitants by 40 to one. The population is so dispersed, however, that in some instances, that figure can hit something more akin to 30,000 to 1 in some areas.
The archipelago’s popularity has grown further thanks to the effect of climate change on traditional hotspots and a newfound tourist appetite for “coolcations”, as well as the influence of Instagram in the land of the midnight sun.
Positives and negatives
Tourism is generally a positive for the islands. The sector provides around 19% of employment opportunities, which means that the infrastructure that serves everyone is improved. A recent Nordregio report pointed out: “municipalities like Vestvågøy gain better transport connections (e.g., flight routes) and high-quality restaurants. And greater services in general also mean that the municipality is more attractive for young people to return and settle in the municipality after studying in cities like Oslo or Bergen.”
However, problems such as congestion on narrow coastal roads can disrupt farming as well as traffic, and a lack of parking, toilets, waste disposal, and signposts all mean that here, just as in the busiest parts of Barcelona, the quality of local life can be spoilt when facilities and services do not meet everyone’s needs. As Travel and Tour World, TTW notes, among islanders, negative perceptions of the impact of tourism on their island homeland have risen by 23% over the course of one decade.
Regenerating resources, the environment, and trust
As a result, municipal authorities are working with residents and tourism stakeholders under a “Destination Lofoten” banner to establish new regulations and patterns of behaviour. The Lofoten Islands have already been designated as a “Sustainable Destination” by Innovation Norway, with a set of criteria developed by Innovation Norway, the tourism industry, research institutions, and national authorities and recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, but it is more a commitment than a crown that has already been achieved.
Work includes building trust between different groups of islanders as well as between islanders and tourists, spreading tourism through the year, protecting beaches, establishing rules to limit camping and parking in certain areas, and promoting cultural norms such as “leave no trace” and the mountain guidelines developed from the Lofoten Code of Conduct.
@cecilia_sandnes POV: Tourist Season is Underway in Loften 🇳🇴.You've just stepped off the ferry or descended from the sky in a tiny propeller plane here’s what greets you: Voila #tourist #lofoten #camper #campervan #motorhome #RV #bobil #norway #lofoty #norge #traveltiktok #fyp #traffic #lofotenislands #turist #foruyou #foryoupage❤️❤️ ♬ Up and Away (Vocalese) – GHOSTLAND
In some cases, efforts involve encouraging tourists to protect themselves too, by being aware of their environment and making the right choice of clothing and footwear for hikes. Beyond basic self-care, regenerative tourism, as seen in Fiji’s “Loloma Hour” or on post-wildfire Hawaii, aims ultimately for tourists to contribute to the renewal of resources, adding value for local communities, the climate, and the environment that they have, after all, come to see.
