The matter summed up: Kriseramma Moskenes municipality in Lofoten has a large increase in the number of visitors before the high season has started, but is concerned that the necessary infrastructure is not in place. Trolltunga in Ullensvang has gone from 800 to 90,000 visitors in ten years. Mass tourism leads to major challenges, such as littering, rescue operations and pressure on the infrastructure. The question is who will foot the bill, the municipalities or the tourists? That is why the government has proposed a so-called visitor contribution. Business Minister Cecilie Myrseth (Ap) acknowledges that too little work has been done with the tourism policy. She wants to do something about it. The right of way may be under pressure due to mass tourism. That is why it is important to take measures, believes Haaken Christensen in Natur og Reiseliv. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. A municipality of 1,000 inhabitants. 41,000 visitors before the high season has started. In the municipality of Moskenes in the Lofoten archipelago, tourists flock in familiar style to the tourist magnet Reinebringen. Last year, Lofoten was supposed to be the first out as a guinea pig to get what the government calls a “visitor contribution” in place. Colloquially known as “tourist tax”. But that hasn’t happened yet. Mayor of Moskenes, Hanna Sverdrup, despairs that people are running up the mountain at the same time as the municipality is bankrupt. – We see it all over Lofoten, it’s not just around Reinebringen. There are large vans, buses with roads from the 60s without a central strip. This has consequences for emergency traffic. On Saturday, she met Minister of Business Cecilie Myrseth (Ap) for a debate on Helgemorgen. The mighty mountains attract tourists from all over the country to see the northern lights and midnight sun. Here seen from Hamnøya on Reine in Moskenes, Lofoten. Photo: Synnøve Sundby Fallmyr Increase of 54 per cent from last year The municipality is struggling as a result of poor finances. It doesn’t get any better in the face of hundreds of thousands of summer tourists: So far this year, there have been 41,000 visitors just for Reinebringen. This is an increase of 54 per cent from last year. – The reindeer herding is a fantastic trip. Measures have been taken, stone stairs built, a work of art in itself. But I’m afraid there are so many people who go there that it won’t be an experience for those who go, says the mayor. Sverdrup refers to Portugal and Italy. There, they have mastered the art of facilitating, with people who are set up to say where tourists can park and where they should go, says Sverdrup. Photo: Vilde Bratland Erikstad / news Even in the first summer week this year, the traffic record was broken on the main road through Lofoten. And even if tourism brings in several million kroner every year, the pressure is too great. – It is quite intense, says Sverdrup. It is not only littering that presents challenges. The outbreak also leads to many rescue operations. And Lofoten is far from alone in increasing challenges as a result of mass tourism. Trolltunga: From 800 to 90,000 One can mention several: Trolltunga in Ullensvang municipality, Besseggen in Vågå municipality, Torghatten in Brønnøy and Preikestolen in Strand municipality in Rogaland. At Trolltunga, where they expect 90,000 visitors, the number of visitors has exploded. Over a period of ten years, there has been an increase from 800 to 90,000 in 2018. – There was an explosion in those years, says Leiv Varberg. Leiv Varberg has met everything from monks in slippers without socks to ladies in dresses and sandals. Photo: Åse Marie Evjen He works as a mountain guard at Trolltunga. He has met ladies who come in sandals and dresses, and a monk in slippers without socks. – You get wear and tear in the form of a lot of hiking in the mountains. Fortunately, we have managed to prevent that, says Varberg when he is a guest on Helgemorgen. Here, Varberg and others explain about the big tourist week. The Minister of Industry and the Mayor of Moskenes met for a debate in Helgemorgen today. Red Cross on five missions a day At the other end, rescue companies and aid organizations are ready to help those who need it. – In the same way as everyone else, we think about assignments. There are many assignments throughout the year. This is according to the head of the national council Red Cross Aid Corps, Jarle Bjørge Øverland. – We are just one of several voluntary organizations that run rescues both in the mountains, in the water and in the city. We have to respond to what is assigned to us from the main investigation centre, says Øverland. Photo: Private On average, the Red Cross is out on five missions every day. – I think we have to take the responsibility of informing about safe road choices, secure tips on which way to take the trip so that they make it all the way up and down, as whole and fine as they were when they started. – The People’s Court under pressure Daily leader of Natur og Reiseliv, Haaken Christensen, describes the situation at the top of Trolltunga as an airport. – There is something exciting about arriving at airports and hearing the hum of languages from all over the world, such is the case at Trolltunga and not least Preikestolen. He depicts marketing out of control. Both social media and showcasing Trolltunga as an icon on wine bottles and in shops have made the summit a viral target. – There is free movement in Norway, we must take the common law seriously and ensure that he is taken care of. Then we have to make arrangements for the places that receive a lot of visitors to tolerate the increased number of visitors. Photo: private – The sum of this made the marketing perhaps a little out of control. From there, the number of visitors skyrocketed. – Can mass tourism have consequences for public rights? – The public court is in some ways under pressure. But I think that if we get better at investing in him and invest in increasing the ability to manage and more resources, and to manage the traffic to those places that tolerate the traffic, then I think we can have the right of way for a long time to come in that way we have today. And it was precisely with regard to the public court that the proposal for a visitor contribution has previously met with opposition from the Ministry of Transport. Concern for less nature and more people Ingrunn Limstrand is head of the section for outdoor activities in the Norwegian Environment Agency. – The concern lies in the fact that when more people come, there will be increased wear and tear on nature, pressure on vulnerable nature. And then there will also be demands for regulation, and perhaps closure of certain places, which again challenges the common man’s right. – Should one consider restricting the right in some way? – Allemannsretten is the whole foundation for outdoor life in Norway, it is very important that we can travel freely, says Limstrand and adds: – We have a number of restrictions linked to protected areas when it is breeding time, but basically allemannsretten is strong and that we must travel freely. The Minister of Industry: – Has worked too little Health Minister of Industry for the Labor Party, Cecilie Myrseth, leaves little doubt that Norway has a product that more and more people want. She refers to the so-called visitor contribution, also known as the tourist tax, which the government aims to send out for consultation in the autumn. Myrseth sees that the municipalities with many tourists have a lot to do when it comes to infrastructure. Photo: Aurora Ytreberg Meløe / news – Is the mindset around mass tourism healthy enough? – That is a good question. I think that over time we have worked too little healthily with tourism policy. It has been too piecemeal and divided. In many places, I think municipalities have experienced standing a bit on their own when it comes to high pressure. – So my goal as minister of business is to deal with it in a proper way and to achieve good interaction and dialogue, concludes Myrseth. Published 15.06.2024, at 1 p.m
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– Allemannsretten is in some ways under pressure – news Nordland
