– The summer has been miserable, says Kjell Skår. He has run the Korssund guest harbor in Fjaler since the 1960s. For many, the harbor has since been a natural accommodation on boat trips along the coast in Sogn og Fjordane. But this summer, the guest harbor has had 80 per cent fewer boat tourists. – It has been very quiet. There have only been a few boats by. It feels colossal, that, he says. – Been a bit wet Rolf and Lill Sivertsen are sitting inside a motorboat in Bekkjarvik Gjestehavn. The rain is dripping on the canopy from outside, but that hasn’t stopped them from a holiday at the lake this season. – It has been a bit wet. Everything has become a bit like that on impulse, and after the weather forecast, he says. Rolf and Lill Sivertsen have holidayed at the lake despite a summer characterized by gray weather days in Western Norway. Here they visit Bekkjarvik Gjestehavn in Austevoll. Photo: Jan Børge Leirvik / news But many others have stayed on land. For the guest harbour, there has been a decrease in visitors of 25 per cent compared to last year. – The weather and the price of diesel and various elements have meant that we have had a certain reduction, says harbor manager Gunn Mette Kvist. She says that the boats often stay longer, but that the visits are fewer. Several large marinas in Western Norway have experienced the same. Both Florø and Bergen harbor have had a decline in visitors this summer, figures obtained by news show. Gunn Merete Kvist believes that the weather and the price of diesel have meant that many people have stopped traveling by boat. Photo: Jan Børge Leirvik / news Lost 40 percent turnover At Solheim Diesel in Florø, the lack of boat tourists is well felt. They sell to boats and marine life, and notice the decline. In July this year, turnover fell by 40 per cent. – There are fewer customers, and fewer boats. We also notice at the workshop that the local people have not had the boats serviced, says general manager Frode Standal. – Has not had the same growth as the rest of Norway Kristin Krohn Devold is managing director of NHO Reiseliv. She says there has been a big growth in tourism in Norway compared to last year, but not everywhere. – Western Norway has not had as strong growth as the rest of Norway, because Western Norway has had a lot of bad weather, says Krohn Devold. Managing director of NHO Reiseliv, Kristin Krohn Devold, says the weather has been a decisive factor for tourism in the west country. Photo: Oda Hveem / NHO Reiseliv She adds that Bergen has had very good growth, mainly because the city generally has more foreign tourists than other places in western Norway. But autumn can be good, says the director. – The nice thing here is that three out of ten companies say they have more bookings this autumn than in the record year 2019.
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Four out of five boats have disappeared from this marina this summer – news Vestland
