A few years ago, Trygve Sunde Kolderup was on holiday in the Faroe Islands. However, it was no ordinary holiday. He was a volunteer tourist. Now he invites people to do the same at Træna. – When a small local community has to welcome many tourists, it can have a cost. The project has been started in order to take care of nature and at the same time have people there, says Kolderup, who is the owner of the cabin rental operator “House by the Sea”. Trygve Sunde Kolderup owns and operates House by the Sea AS on Træna. Photo: Privat There is talk, among other things, of cleaning up beaches and arranging hiking trails. The visitors can stay in “House by the Sea” if they put in a certain number of hours to watch, carry and get tired. – This is not something the local community should do alone. – Both the tourists and those of us involved in tourism are helping to cause the problems and must take responsibility, he emphasises. In this cabin, you can stay for free if you set aside a few hours for hunting and working in Træna’s nature areas. Photo: House by the Sea Tomorrow’s travel experience Kolderup has great faith that the concept will catch on – also in Norway. He calls it regenerative tourism. – It’s about improving the destination you are at and contributing something positive as a visitor. Regenerative tourism goes further than being a sustainable tourist. You must not only take care of the destination – you must improve it. – I think this is tomorrow’s tourism experience. Would you like to be a volunteer tourist? – In the Faroe Islands, they received many thousands of applicants for their 100 places. People were so eager to spend their vacation days contributing that the enrollment system broke down. The project at Træna has already received over 40 applications for its 16 places – and even more are expected. – There has been a lot of interest after we launched, even without any marketing. We have received applications both from people in the region, but also from people elsewhere in the country. – You get accommodation in a cool place and get to know a local environment in a different way than you would have otherwise. The project in the Faroe Islands Photo: Bárður Eklund In 2019, Visit Faroe Islands announced its first project where they invited 100 people to a weekend of voluntary work. They then received over 3,000 applications. Since then, they have had 36 such volunteer projects. Over 400 people from 40 different countries have been volunteers. Together, they have received approximately 13,500 applications for these projects. The World Economic Forum named the campaign one of the ten most innovative initiatives for the planet in 2019. (visitfaroeislands.com) Most young people express their interest – There are not that many people in Træna municipality, so inviting people to volunteer takes a lot of time the same people. That’s what communications director in Træna municipality, Torild Fogelberg Hansen, says. Træna municipality has been granted a total of NOK 225,000 from the Norwegian Environment Agency, the Hurtigruten Foundation and the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce’s environmental fund, which will be used to protect nature in the island municipality, says Torild Fogelberg Hansen. Photo: Privat The island municipality has approximately 450 inhabitants spread over three inhabited islands. According to Hansen, most young people have expressed their interest: – Young people today have a completely different relationship to sustainability and safeguarding nature and culture. I would like to believe that it is a commitment that makes people want to spend their time on this. – If they come from Friday to Sunday, perhaps 10 hours of work is not that much. In addition, they get to stay in nice cabins and experience Træna in a different way. She believes that the non-traditional way of traveling is a driver in itself. – Instead of traveling and just seeing the sights, you get an insight into the local culture. “House by the Sea” consists of three cabins with a total of eight beds. Photo: House by the Sea A trend we want to see more of – More people in the travel industry have started to think beyond sustainability. Merete Habberstad at NHO reiseliv believes that Træna takes the tourism experience a step further in a modern and positive direction. – Here they are very spot on when we look at today’s trend. They facilitate so that tourists can come and be part of the solution and look after nature. – Where you used to dive and break some of the coral reefs and take them home, tourists are now invited to restore them and plant new ones, says Merete Habberstad in NHO Reiseliv. Photo: Per Sollerman / Per Sollerman She believes we are at the tipping point in a number of areas – especially when it comes to the loss of natural and animal diversity. – We feel it is good to do something good for nature, she says, and believes it is about creating meaning in her holiday. According to Habberstad, tourists have become much more aware of what they as travelers can contribute locally. – In addition, you can get to know each other in a different way than if you are passive tourists who do things individually. You can actually join and be a team.
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Regenerative tourism – now Træna will focus on volunteer tourists – news Nordland
