Nothing is so bad that it is not good for something. This also applies to a weakened Norwegian krone, says Eirik Bræin Gikling. He is general manager of Eliassen Rorbuer, and benefits from the krone being on sale cheaply. They have the best advance bookings this summer. – Europeans and Americans have a stronger currency than us and then things are much cheaper when they come here, he says. Eliassen Rorbuer is located on Hamnøy in Moskenes municipality. Photo: Eliassen Rorbuer Choose Norwegian destinations In addition, it is more expensive for Norwegians to travel abroad and then they also choose Norwegian destinations, according to Gikling. 2022 was in many ways a record year for tourism, shows an overview of the number of overnight stays in Norway. For Eliassen, it looks as if last year’s high occupancy will repeat itself this year – even though they have raised the prices. – So far, over 60 nationalities have booked with us. Scandinavia, Germany and southern Europe are important, but we also see that the Americans are coming much stronger and we think this is due to the weak krone exchange rate. In addition to the weak krone, heat waves in the south can also contribute to increased tourism in Norway, Gikling believes. Are you going on holiday in Norway this year? Yes! No, I’m going abroad I’m not going on holiday Show result – Heat waves have been reported again. Then it may be that southern Europeans want to get away from the heat and want to move north. More people are coming – and they are staying longer And Eliassen Rorbuer is not alone, confirms the general manager of Destination Lofoten, Line Renate Samuelsen: – I can’t vouch for everyone, but I have heard the same from several people. Before corona, we had many international tourists in Lofoten, and now it seems as if they are back. Head of tourism at Destination Lofoten, Line Renate Samuelsen. Photo: John Inge Johansen Destination Lofoten represents all tourism players in the entire region. – I was at a meeting further out in Lofoten and then the players there could not only confirm the advance booking of the times, but they could also say that the tourists are staying longer. A survey carried out by NHO reiseliv shows that more than 7 out of 10 tourism companies in Nordland and Vestland report the same or better booking level than last year. Forecasting better numbers than before the pandemic – The entire industry recovered in record time after the pandemic last year, and the figures for the summer of this year are even better, says managing director of NHO Reiseliv, Kristin Krohn Devold. Nordland and Vestland stand out. Here, 7 out of 10 say that the occupancy is the same or better than last year, compared to 6 out of 10 nationally, she says. Managing director of NHO Reiseliv, Kristin Krohn Devold. Photo: Per-Ivar Kvalsvik / news The reason, she believes, is complex. Firstly, tourism operators became very good at betting on Norwegian tourists during the pandemic. When the foreign tourists now return, the customer base has therefore increased. – Perhaps we will end up with a larger total for the entire industry than before the pandemic. They have managed to build up a large Norwegian enthusiastic customer base, while at the same time customers from abroad are also arriving at full speed. But Devold does not hide that she has been excited about how the summer will be for the industry. – Both Norwegians and foreigners can afford less and everything is more expensive. This has made us wonder if people will start to squeeze in their holiday experiences. But they don’t have that. – We already saw it in the winter season. People who used to travel to the Alps chose Norwegian alpine destinations. It was because we had a lot of snow, while the Alps had little, but it was also because prices in Norway have become significantly lower. I don’t think the krone exchange rate is the reason. Along with Nordland, Vestland is at the top of NHO’s list. Managing director of Fjord Norge AS, Stein Ove Rolland, confirms great progress in the region. – Operators abroad have good bookings in western Norway. Carriers, both on planes and ferries, have almost no available seats now for the summer. It’s good pressure. Stein Ove Rolland, director of Fjord Norway. Photo: Ole Andreas Bø / news Nevertheless, he is not as sure that it is the krone exchange rate that is to blame for all the advance bookings. – It is an element that makes us more relevant, but no one goes to Norway because the krone exchange rate is low. It’s real craftsmanship that lies at the bottom, says Rolland. For other Europeans, the weak krona may have had a certain effect, but for the tourists who come from afar, the decision was made a long time ago, he believes. – For foreigners, this is an additional dimension which means that now is the time for them to take their holiday in Norway. Now they get a lot of holiday for their money. Many tourists have already visited many cities and countries, says Rolland and points to London, Paris and Switzerland. – Now they are very curious about what the rest of the world has to offer. Norway appears as a scenic and refreshing destination with beautiful nature and plenty of space. It is incredibly attractive to many foreign target groups.
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Advance booking of the times in Lofoten – predicts better numbers than before the pandemic – news Nordland
