The case in summary: Innovation Norway has stopped a campaign to market Norway as an outdoor recreation destination after almost two years of work. The campaign has met with considerable opposition, especially from tourist-heavy areas such as Northern Norway and Western Norway, who fear that increased tourism will be devastating both economically and for nature. The critics are concerned that the campaign will lead to increased unregulated traffic and camping, and that it will have negative consequences for commercial tourism. Innovation Norway has paused the campaign in order to take the feedback seriously and invite a new dialogue about how the problems can be solved. Although work on the campaign has been ongoing for two years, it is still in its early stages, and not much money will be lost as a result of the hiatus. Innovation Norway hopes that the campaign can be relaunched in the future. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. For almost two years, Innovasjon Noreg has been working on a new initiative for how Norway should be marketed as a tourist destination. Outdoor activities are a central part of the campaign. – We want to highlight the part of Norwegian culture that is about using nature, says Aase Marthe Horrigmo. For is director of tourism at Innovation Norway. But the initiative has caused great skepticism and many protests, even before it is finished. Aase Marthe Horrigmo is director of tourism at Innovation Norway. Photo: Svein Sundsdal / news – Devastating economically and for nature In particular, there are actors in the parts of the country that have the most tourism, who are afraid of a bailout from the state company. In Northern Norway and Western Norway, a collective tourism industry has protested, along with other county municipalities. Here they are already experiencing that there are so many foreigners who will use Norwegian nature that it is not sustainable. Trond Øverås, Northern Norway, says that some places already have too many outdoor tourists. Photo: Trygve Grønning / news – We are skeptical about using the term outdoor life in an international market, says director of Northern Norway, Trond Øverås. – This can lead to a greater degree of unregulated traffic and camping. We already have areas where this is challenging. Want to know more And the umbrella organization for tourism in Western Norway, Fjord Norway, is responding. – We have asked Innovation Norway to consider putting this campaign on hold. We need to know more about how it will affect commercial tourism, says director Stein Ove Rolland. The two directors say they have not seen anything from the campaign, but react to what Innovation Norway itself has presented. Stone Ove Rolland, Fjord Norway. Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news Campaign put on pause The campaign has now been stopped indefinitely. – We take the feedback seriously, and want to invite a new dialogue about how this should be resolved, says Horrigmo. Although work on the campaign has been going on for two years, she says that they are still in an early phase. Therefore, not much money will be lost. Horrigmo points out that they have received positive feedback from parts of the country. news knows that there has been frustration in parts of the tourism industry with regard to how the state-owned company has advertised for the country. But Horrigmo rejects that there is too great a distance between Innovation Norway and the industry they are supposed to represent. Great pressure on nature More and more foreigners are opening their eyes to the Norwegian common good, such as the common law. In some places, such as in Lofoten and in Hardanger, one feels that it is about to become problematic. Dag Terje Solvang is general secretary of DNT. Photo: Eirik Pessl-Kleiven / news It takes a toll on nature and creates dangerous situations when tourists with little knowledge of Norwegian nature vacation in it. The Norwegian tourist association is gaining more and more foreign members. DNT is also skeptical of Innovation Norway’s marketing plans. – The consequence could be that there is too much pressure, too many people come here, says general secretary Dag Terje Solvang. – There may be too much traffic for nature and for those who live here. Then it will no longer be a positive thing to have visitors. Horrigmo in Innovation Norway says one of their goals was to teach foreigners more about how they can have a safe and sustainable outdoor life in Norway. She hopes the campaign can see the light of day sometime in the future. Many places experience wear and tear on nature. Like here in Lofoten. Photo: Hege Schultz Heireng Published 28.08.2024, at 11.16
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Strong protests against advertising campaign to lure outdoor tourists to Norway – news Vestland
