Snow-covered mountain sides and empty streets. The sound of the river flowing through the village is not drowned out by excited tourists. It is winter in Geiranger. But it is not at all as settled here as it may first appear. According to the mayor, they have gained around 30 new permanent residents in the last four years. – We have a choir here, and once you have joined something like this, things pop up all the time. There is a lot to come up with, and there are very enterprising people in the village, says Maren Haanes. She is one of the many new immigrants who will now live in the tourist village all year round. Maren Haanes is one of around 30 new permanent residents in the tourist village of Geiranger. She says that it was the job at the hotel that lured her there. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news Struggling with placement Both the school and the kindergarten in Geiranger have had major problems getting staff. A year and a half ago there were so few employees in the nursery that it had to be closed one day a week. The school was also in danger of having to close down. Hotel director Monja Mjelva is happy that they now have more permanent residents. – It’s very nice. It means something for the well-being of everyone who lives in a village, that the ecosystem goes around. That there are enough people both in nurseries, schools and at leisure activities after one has finished work. It looks bright in the years ahead for Geiranger, says hotel director in the village, Monja Mjelva. Monja Mjelva is hotel director for Hotell Union Geiranger. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news Deciding on good housing One of the reasons for the move is, according to the villagers, 24 completely newly built apartments. It is the owners of Hotell Union who have taken the initiative to build the apartments, as both they and other employers needed housing for their employees. – We are almost surprised at how positive it has turned out when it comes to getting more permanent residents in Geiranger, says Sindre Mjelva, who is also a hotel director. Sindre Mjelva is hotel director for Hotell Union Geiranger, together with his wife Monja Mjelva. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news He says the new residences mean that the hotel will have a more stable workforce. Because those who are going to work must have a place to live. And Mjelva boasts that the village is also precisely a good place to live. – We have many good zealots who create a lot of activities outside of work, which make life after 4pm worth living in Geiranger. The sun is low in the sky above the snow-covered mountains that surround the village. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news In addition to apartments housing new residents, the village has regained several important emergency services over the past year. Geiranger is one of nine towns that was allowed to restore its police office in 2023 – just in summer. A new emergency center for fire, ambulance and police will now be in place. Last summer, the village also got back the offer of a doctor in the village every 14 days. Geiranger is idyllically located in the fjords, but far from cities with many people and workplaces. A wet dream for a rural researcher – What they have achieved in Geiranger is what we want to achieve in all such local communities that we have seen over the years have lost more and more people. And when they manage to reverse that trend, it gives hope, says Bjørn Egil Flø. He is a researcher and rural sociologist at NIBIO. Figures from Statistics Norway show that the population in the districts will continue to decline over the next 30 years, while there will be more people in the cities. Flø says that it has long been known that workplaces have been important for settlement. But it has not been enough. In recent years, it has been seen that housing is decisive for obtaining labour. That is why what they have done in Geiranger is important, he says. Bjørn Egil Flø is a researcher and rural sociologist at NIBIO. He says it is important for the villages to create meeting places where people who move in and those who have lived there for a long time can meet each other and develop the local community together. Photo: Henning Gulli / news – One must ensure that there is access to housing for those who will have a job. Those who want good jobs also want good homes. Seeing the two things in context is a very important move. Flø is impressed by what they have achieved in Geiranger in just a few years. – For a rural researcher, this is a wet dream in many ways. A small rural community that receives so many new immigrants is worth its weight in gold. – Here I, Martine Sørensen, moved to the tourist village five years ago, and am still a relatively recent resident. She would advise others to give small remote villages like Geiranger a chance. – If you love nature and you like being part of a united group and having a safe environment around you, I think it is definitely worth recommending to others. I have no regrets about anything. – I was only supposed to be here for one summer, but then it completely changed. Because I didn’t want to leave here at all. This is where I want to be. And here I will stay. Elisabeth Bolli Anundsen, Martine Sørensen and Maren Haanes in front of the hotel where they have got permanent jobs. They are all happy with their new home. – Things happen all the time, says Haanes. Photo: Hans-Olav Landsverk / news
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The tourist village of Geiranger is experiencing an influx and is getting an emergency centre, police and doctor – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
