Eight out of ten Norwegians will take a countryside trip this Easter holiday

The family Thomassen Groseth takes Easter trip in the boat this EasterHOLMESTRAND.The family Thomassen Groseth takes Easter trip in the boat this Easter.Photo : Stian Lysberg Solum / SCANPIX

A new Ipsos poll commissioned by the umbrella organization, Norsk Friluftsliv (Norwegian Outdoor Life), shows that eight out of ten Norwegians are planning a trip out into the countryside during Easter.

The enthusiasm for the great outdoors is more zealous in northern Norway,including amongst the highly paid, and Fremskrittspartiet (KrF) voters.

In a representative sample of 1,012 respondents, 81% answered that they would be out in the countryside over Easter.

‘This confirms that the outdoor tradition is still strong in Norway’, said Norsk Friluftsliv’s Secretary General, Lasse Heimdal.

That much of the country is without snow doesn’t seem to dampen the desire to go on a countryside trip.

‘Coastal outdoor activities are well underway again after the winter. Canoeing or sailing is the perfect Easter activity this year. It’s not necessary to go that far from the cities to enjoy nature’, said Heimdal.
‘Eagerness to get out into nature is not quite at the same level across the country. While 90% of respondents in Northern Norway are planning a countryside tour, just 68% in Oslo said the same.

Ipsos’ survey suggests that people’s level of education affects their desire to go on a tour. While 88% of those with higher university, or college degrees are going out into the countryside at Easter, the response rate was 69% among those who only had basic education.

These differences are also reflected by income statistics. 90% with household incomes above 800,000 will be out in nature over Easter, and only 69% of the lowest paid plan the same kind of activity.

KrF and Venstre

The two cooperative parties, the Christian Democrats (KrF), and Venstre (Liberals) may agree on many issues politically, but when it comes to their Easter plans, it seems voters demonstrate a parting of the ways.

KrF have many more supporters with a desire for an Easter countryside trip, with 95% of those surveyed planning their Easter vacation in the outdoors.

This enthusiasm for the changeable weather and possibly muddy ground is somewhat less frenzied among Venstre voters, of whom 66% said they’d be out there looking for it.

Three out of ten Venstre voters don’t intend to be out in the countryside over Easter. Closest to Venstre voters were Sosialistisk Venstreparti (SV) supporters.

That both Venstre and SV both have a strong bias toward preserving nature conservation areas evidently has little effect on their eagerness to walk in them. 74% of SV’s voters answered that they will be out in nature over Easter, while 18%
have other plans.

In third place on the list of party voters who are seemingly least fond of hiking are Høyre, with the Miljøpartiet De Grønne (Green Party) snapping at their heels.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today