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Norway's Lofoten islands 'risk being overrun by tourists' Norway's Lofoten islands 'risk being overrun by tourists'
(35 minutes later)
Norway’s remote but beautiful Lofoten islands are being overrun by tourists drawn by the growing number of Hollywood blockbusters being shot amid their spectacular Arctic scenery, local officials have said. Norway’s remote but beautiful Lofoten islands risk being overrun by tourists drawn by the growing number of Hollywood blockbusters being shot there for the spectacular Arctic scenery, local officials have said.
“It’s challenging,” Hans Fredrik Sørdal, the mayor of Flakstad municipality, told public broadcaster NRK. “In terms of tourism, we’ve become completely unbalanced this year.”“It’s challenging,” Hans Fredrik Sørdal, the mayor of Flakstad municipality, told public broadcaster NRK. “In terms of tourism, we’ve become completely unbalanced this year.”
Disney’s Frozen, released in 2013 with the backing of the Norwegian tourist board, boosted foreign visits to the country by up to 20%, with the Lofoten archipelago alone last year welcoming more than 1 million summer visitors. Disney’s Frozen, released in 2013 with the backing of the Norwegian tourist board, bolstered foreign visits to the country by up to 20%, with the Lofoten archipelago alone welcoming more than 1 million summer visitors last year.
Matt Damon is currently shooting part of the science fiction comedy Downsizing, due for release in 2017, on the islands, which while well inside the Arctic Circle are warmed by the gulf stream and popular for their relatively mild summers, dramatic peaks, sheer cliffs and plunging fjords. Matt Damon is currently shooting part of the science fiction comedy Downsizing, scheduled for release in 2017, on the islands, which while well inside the Arctic Circle are warmed by the gulf stream and popular for their relatively mild summers, dramatic peaks, sheer cliffs and spectacular fjords.
Some locals feel enough is enough. “Millions of people will see this movie,” said Gunnar Skjeseth, owner of the Lofoten Explorer, a luxury cruise ship hired by the production. “It may be too much of a good thing if even more tourists come here because of it.”Some locals feel enough is enough. “Millions of people will see this movie,” said Gunnar Skjeseth, owner of the Lofoten Explorer, a luxury cruise ship hired by the production. “It may be too much of a good thing if even more tourists come here because of it.”
Skjeseth told the broadcaster the tourist industry had “more than enough to do already”. Sørdal, the mayor, said it was “positive” that the film would put the islands even more firmly on the map – but warned that their infrastructure was already under immense strain. Skjeseth told NRK the tourist industry had “more than enough to do already”. Sørdal said it was a positive that the film would put the islands even more firmly on the map – but warned that their infrastructure was already under immense strain.
The islands’ 24,500 permanent residents have already complained of acute traffic problems, a severe shortage of waste disposal facilities and a lack of public toilets, with a small wood near one particularly popular mountain climb now known locally as the “forest of shit”.The islands’ 24,500 permanent residents have already complained of acute traffic problems, a severe shortage of waste disposal facilities and a lack of public toilets, with a small wood near one particularly popular mountain climb now known locally as the “forest of shit”.
Narrow, single-track roads and bridges cannot cope with the huge influx of hire cars and campervans, Sørdal said, while mountain paths and trails leading to some of the islands’ more sought-after beaches are suffering from heavy erosion. Narrow, single-track roads and bridges were unable to cope with the huge influx of hire cars and campervans, Sørdal said, while mountain paths and trails leading to some of the islands’ more sought-after beaches were suffering from heavy erosion.
With tourist numbers forecast to more than double over the next few years, the mayor said drastic measures would need to be taken before next season, adding: “I fear a dramatic accident, the accident we do not want to have here. Nature is vulnerable, and requires that we be much better prepared.”With tourist numbers forecast to more than double over the next few years, the mayor said drastic measures would need to be taken before next season, adding: “I fear a dramatic accident, the accident we do not want to have here. Nature is vulnerable, and requires that we be much better prepared.”