Norway has put on hold a tourism campaign aimed at promoting the Norwegian friluftsliv (outdoor lifestyle) and “right to roam” to international visitors after local tour agencies voiced concerns over possible negative effects on the environment.
1. The right to roam
The right to roam, also called freedom to roam or everyman’s right, is a right that people in some countries have to access nature for recreational activities regardless of whether the land is public or privately owned. In Austria, Belarus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland and the Czech Republic, the freedom to roam takes the form of general public rights which are sometimes codified in law.
In Norway, the right to roam, also called the right of access (allemannsretten) is dates to ancient times, according to Visit Norway. It was only codified in law less than a century ago, in the Outdoor Recreation Act in 1957. The right ensures that everyone can experience nature, even in big, privately owned areas.
Allemannsretten allows people to pass through or set up camp anywhere in the countryside, forests or mountains, as long as they stay at least 150 metres away from the nearest inhabited house or cabin. This rule also applies to vans, mobile homes and caravans. For staying more than two nights in the same place, the landowner must be asked permission, except in the mountains or in very remote areas. And, of course, emptying toilets anywhere dedicated places is strictly prohibited.
2. Promoting friluftsliv
The right to roam has been the focus of a tourism campaign two years in the making from state owned agency Innovation Norway. Before being fully launched however, it has been met by a lot of concern from local tour agencies over the impact unregulated and unaccounted people could have on infrastructure and the environment.
“It is important to know that with allemannsretten or roaming rights also comes the obligation to show respect to nature. In short: we shall not leave any trace. This is something we learn in Norway when we are children – from family or at school – but it is not that obvious to many international tourists”, said Bente Lier, the general secretary of outdoor recreation organisation Norsk Friluftsliv.
While Lier is not against the campaign overall, she stressed the importance of a clearer strategy. Besides ensuring tourists are well educated about the responsibilities that come with the right to roam, in depth feasibility studies should be made to see which parts can sustain more visitors and to what extent. “We cannot invite 30 guests if the table is set for four”, she commented.
Others have also suggested that international tourists should experience friluftsliv, but through “well-organised sustainable offerings provided by competent experienced companies within the tourism industry” that can monitor numbers and the effect on environment. “We believe that marketing outdoor activities to a growing international holiday and leisure market can be risky because it may lead to more people wanting to explore vulnerable natural areas on their own. This can result in wear and tear on nature, increased littering and could potentially lead to accidents and rescue operations”, explained Stein Ove Rolland, the CEO of tourism board Fjord Norway.
Responding to the feedback, Aase Marthe Horrigmo, Director of Tourism at Innovation Norway, has said the campaign will be paused for a new series of dialogues and assessments to take place. While admitting the importance of addressing the concerns, she also noted that the agency still wants to continue the project after consultations with county municipalities and destination companies, since Innovation Norway believes the concept “will encourage potential tourists to embrace the philosophy behind friluftsliv and ultimately encourage them to treat our unique nature with care and respect.”
