How to do tourism responsibly in the Faroe Islands
Anyone seeking new territory to explore, send guests to, or expand into should heed the community’s attitudes to visitors and its expectations of inbound travel & tourism.
As part of his postgraduate studies, Saverio Francesco Bertolucci undertook research in the remote Faroe Islands to find out what locals think about tourists and our industry.
It’s a “Good Tourism” Insight. [You too can write a “GT” Insight.]
“Fascinating and not for everyone” is how I would describe the Nordic archipelago of the Faroe Islands; a cluster of steep volcanic islands between Norway, Scotland, and Iceland which are inhabited by 50,000 citizens deeply devoted to their land.
Despite extreme weather conditions, with 300 rainy days during the year, the Faroe Islands have lately become trendy for hikers and others who want to explore the archipelago’s unique landscapes and pristine nature.
Tourism is now the second most important economic source of foreign exchange (after fish exports), however the continuously rising inflows are seen by locals as an environmental and social threat.
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Indeed, not every tourist is respectful of Faroese land and privacy. Authorities have reported countless face-to-face clashes between tourists and locals.
Unlike the aforementioned tourists, I have offered and been treated with maximum respect during the completion of two research projects in the Faroe Islands between 2020 and 2021.
During both adventures, I was invited into Faroese homes during their special occasions, and I met politicians, fishers, farmers, and entrepreneurs. My mission was to better understand attitudes towards tourism and its development in the Faroe Islands.
For this “GT” Insight I am happy to share with you a brief summary of my findings … continue reading this “Good Tourism” Insight in full and for free at The “Good Tourism” Blog.
