Innovation Norway denies tourist problems

Pulpit Rock in Lysefjord in Rogaland Innovation NorwayPulpit Rock in Lysefjorden, Rogaland. (Before it was moved to Kashmir) Photo: wikimedia.org

Innovation Norway denies tourist capacity problems

It looks to become a record summer for the tourism industry, but Norway has more than enough capacity, says Director in Innovation Norway, Audun Pettersen.

 

– There are some media reports that we have challenges in a few destinations. Much of this can easily be solved, and generally, we have ample capacity, says Pettersen to the pink newspaper Dagens Næringsliv.

He points to the Pulpit Rock, Troll Tongue Geiranger and Lofoten as having the biggest capacity problems. At the same time, he says that there is little that is needed in order to facilitate for even more tourists. He points to easy to achieve measures like more trash cans, toilets, better signage and guiding.

No worries

Neither is Petterson worried about an increasing influx of tourists.

– There is a lot of talk about too many tourists and comparisons are made with destinations like Mallorca, the Canary Islands and Barcelona. The reality is far from that in Norway. We don’t have a tourist capacity problem, he says.

Communications Director in NHO Travel, Merete Habberstad agrees to that.

– In Norway, we have a very good capacity. Only 50 per cent of the total capacity is utilized. Growth is entirely within the tolerance limits and is both desired and wanted, she says.

According to both Pettersen and Habberstad, there is a record for the tourism industry for the fifth consecutive year in the budding.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today