Tourism in Norway

Tourism in Norway

1. Introduction

In this term paper I would like to give a general overview about tourism in Norway, from its beginnings to the present situation and its advantages and problems. I want to describe who are the tourists and why they are coming and where are they going in Norway, with a special attention to German tourists, which make out a big group of tourists in Norway.

On the basis of the world is tourism a big and growing business. In 1996 made the global tourism sales of about 4000 mrd. $ out. Following from this, calculations of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) say, that this figure will rise up to 9600 mrd. $ until the year 2005. Today work totally 137 mill. People in this business and the figure is supposed to reach 157 mill. persons in 2005.

In Europe tourism plays an important role for the economy and jobs of the single countries with a contribution to the GNP on the average of 5,5%. In the EU are e.g. 6,0% of all jobs directly related to tourism.

The growth of the traffic to Norway has been quiet strong until 1990 and the number of foreign hotel guests increased with 47% from 1989 until 1996. In this period Norway has increased its share of the market internationally. The reasons for this strong trend are have relations with preferences in the markets which have promoted Norway, further with more goal-directed and more intensive marked leading, as well as the improvement of quality and the development of new products.

It is also important to know that the number of foreign hotel guests was not higher in 1989 as in 1980 or in 1972, but the international traffic has increased very strong.

The camping development was much weaker in the international traffic with a decline of 14% from 1989.

To sum it up it can be said that the number of foreign hotel guests and camping guests has increased with 23% from 1989 to 1996 with an average growth of 3% per year (cf. Markedsdata 1996).

Experiences and recreation in the Norwegian nature are the most important reasons why foreign tourists travel to Norway. Tourists are attracted by the variable and local landscape with fjords and mountains. Overcrowded and polluted beaches in the south do not draw all tourists. Likewise are sun and beach holidays still the most popular tourism form for the people of western Europe. Tourists do not come to Norway to experience sun and warmth. People from regions of big cities wish in a growing extend to experience something different. Aren’t there are many who wish to see the midnight sun on the North cape-plateau ? Fresh air, clear water and virgin nature have a great value for many people. Furthermore there are the special nature-experiences which attract tourist to travel to a place where mass tourism has not broke out yet (cf. DOLVE; HOLT-JENSEN; SEIM 1995, p. 162).

2. Historical Development of Tourism in Norway

Norway, which lies in the periphery of Europe, was discovered early for reasons of tourism. In the middle of the 19th century there were mostly wealthy Englishmen who came to Norway for climbing and walking in the mountains, to see the fjords and waterfalls and later for fishing and hunting. So Norway became more and more famous in Europe for its beautiful landscapes and nature. There was a collision of two different world views , on the one hand the world experienced, rich and naïve-condescending Englishmen and on the other the narrow, locally limited world of the native peasants, who served the Englishmen as carriers and had no sense for the beauty of the landscape, because they judged the landscape only for it’s efficiency for farming. From there, the foreign tourists had a great impact on the attitude of the Norwegians towards the beauty of their country. Hotels were constructed, first in the fjord regions and later in the mountains.

Later followed the Norwegian local urban and bourgeois society who had a sense for romanticism and gave romantic names for mountains. Characteristically is the name for the highest mountain of the country which didn’t had a homogenous name from the local population, but the single parts were named after local farms (e.g. Galdhöppingen from the name of the farm Galdhö). Also the Dovrefjell, which was thought to be the highest mountain for several centuries, is named after the farm Dovre in the Gulbrandsdal. The name “Dovre” which is used until today is on principle wrong but still mostly used. The name of Jotunheimen was earlier “Jotunfjeldene” analogous to the German “Riesengebirge”. The word “Jotun” was already a neoromantic use related to the old northern mythology, but the ending “-heim” - the places where dwarfs, man and giants and gods lived - strengthened it. Similar came the massif Trollheimen to its name.

In Germany Norway became popular because of the annual holidays in Norway of emperor Wilhelm II. He was very enthusiastic about Norway and the nature.

Later many tourists wrote about the beautiful Norwegian landscape, especially about the mountains, fjords and waterfalls which contributed to the popularity of Norway as a romantic travel destination.

After the second world war and the beginning of mass tourism, Norway didn’t became a country for mass tourism. This form of tourism focuses more on the southern periphery of Europe. And it was not expected that Norway is going to be a land for mass tourism. In view of the climate of the country, the lack of sandy beaches - there are only a few near Mandal at the Stavangercoast and in the southwest of Stavanger which are touristically developed - and of course the high prices for services of all kinds, Norway was more a country for individual tourists (LINDEMANN 1986, p. 153).

But in the time when car and plane became mass transportations, Norway experienced a real annual “invasion” of foreign tourists. In 1965 came more than 5 mill. Tourists, which brought ca. 750 mill. Nkr. in the country. Numerical on top are the Scandinavians (2,9 mill.). The Swedish car-tourist come mainly for camping, but also like the Danes during the winter for skiing. Skiing is the national sport in Norway and became popular because of Frodtjof Nansen and others from this time. The hotels have a second season due to the winter sport. Most of the bigger hotels are in the mountains of Østlandet. But the tourist business had its beginnings in Vestlandet. However, the hotels near the fjords have the problem of only a short period during the summer when the tourists come and they have not many guests during the winter (cf. SÖMME 1974, p. 277).

2.1 From the 80s to the 90s

Because of the passport- and customs community with the other Nordic countries, there are no reliable information about the total number of tourists who came to Norway. Merely such persons who come by plane or boat to Norway from non-Nordic countries, are statistically counted. In 1982 were 1,3 mill. statistically counted, but among them were 860 000 Norwegians. A better insight in the extent of tourism can you get from the statistics of the income of the travelvaluta (foreign currencies). In 1982 the total number was about 4,7 millions Nkr. From this, the USA had a share of 19,6%, Sweden 17,1%, Germany 14,6% and Denmark and Great Britain 13,2%. Norway earned 4,7 millions from foreign currencies because of tourism, but the Norwegians spent 10,5 milliards Nkr. for travelling to foreign countries. The income from tourism increased from 1979 to 1982 with 44,9%, but the expenses increased also with 74,3%. This relation shows on one hand the growing wealth of the Norwegians, and on the other the fact that Norway is and will be an expensive country for visitors from abroad. In 1979 was the foreign currency well balanced, but in 1982 spent the Norwegians 20% more on foreign exchange in Germany than Germans in Norway. For the international tourism is Norway clearly and with an increasing tendency a “giving country”. For the tourism in Norway - and therefore the Norwegian periphery - play foreign tourists a small role, even if they have a big concentration during the summer season especially in Gulbrandsdal, Geiranger and the North cape. In 1981 was the number of foreign guests nights in hotels only 33%, the same quote was reached with camping (LINDEMANN 1986, p. 153-154).

About the financial impacts of tourism in Norway and it’s neighbour countries Sweden and Finland it has to be said that the balance of the tourism balance (difference between holiday traffic income and expenditures) in the period 1986-89 was positive for Sweden and Finland, but for Norway decreasing and in 1989 even negative. This negative tourism balance in Norway lies in the growing above-average outgoing tourism of the Norwegians. So increased the expenditures of the Norwegians for tourism in foreign countries in the period from 1965 to 1990 from 514 millions to 21,4 milliards Nkr. The holiday traffic incomes do not keep abreast of the fast increasing holiday traffic expenditures. More and more Norwegians can afford the relatively cheap tourism services in less expensive tourism regions, e.g. in the Mediterranean countries. So in all 508 000 persons travelled from Norway per tour operator and charter flight to countries abroad (especially to Spain) which corresponds to an increase in this field of about 14% towards 1989. But the number from 1990 is about 30% less than the number of the top- year 1987.

2.2 Tourism in the 90s until Today

Table 1: Utenlandstrafikken til Norge 1990-1998. Hotellgjested ø gn (i hele 1000).

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Source : Markedsdata 2000, www.ntr.no

The development of holiday traffic and hotel guest nights increased from the beginning until the middle of the 90s, but since 1997 it s decreasing a little bit. During the 90s the growth of the traffic to Norway and hotel guest nights were especially strong from Spain, the Netherlands, other European countries and Japan.

An active tourism politic in Norway as also in Sweden and Finland is relatively young. In Norway it is represented since 1984 of the marketing organisation NOTRA, which turned in the end of the 90s into NTR (Norges Turistråd). On the board of directors are representatives of the department of traffic, the council of export, members of NOTRA/NTR and the Norwegian board of tourism. The aim of this organisation, which has 12 agencies abroad, is to reach a better capacity of the Norwegian tourism business and to increase the incomes of the tourist business on a long term basis.

As mentioned in the chapter before, it is not possible to have concrete numbers of the border-crossing holiday traffic. The statistics of the earnings of the travel-valuta in 1990 are about 9400 mill. Nkr. From this number Sweden had a share of 23,8%, Great Britain 13,8, Denmark and Germany had a share of 13,3 and the USA had 11,8%.

For many communities - for at least in the southern Norwegian periphery - tourism is economically one of the most important businesses, which is reflected in the overnight stay statistics (hotels, huts, camping).

Figure 1

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Figure 2

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In the north Norwegian periphery there is a considerable more unfavourable situation. So were in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark in 1990 only 9,5% of all hotel guest nights registered. On the Camping sites was the number 17,6%, but this numbers are to low to give decisive impulses in regional politics. Furthermore are the acquisition possibilities from tourism in North Norway only guaranteed during a few weeks in summer (cf. GLÄßER 1990, p.123) .

2.3 The Present Situation

A total of 5,1 million foreigners visited Norway in 1999. These visitors spent 22,2 million guest nights in the country. About 3,2 million visitors stayed overnight in Norway, while 1,2 million arrived on a day trip and 680 000 as cruise passengers.

Table 2: Foreign business and holiday traffic in Norway 1999 (in thousands). Border registration when leaving Norway.

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Source : HAUKELAND; RIDENG 2000, p.1

Three out of four overnight visitors came on holiday, and one out of four was a business traveller. Holiday visitors spent more than 18 million guest nights in Norway, and the number of business guest nights amounted to nearly 4 million.

Just under 2,4 million visitors travelled by road, 1,1 million by air, 880 000 by ferry and nearly 90 000 by rail. Holiday guests most frequently used road and ferry connections, whereas foreign business travellers tended to travel by air.

Compared with the previous year the total number of arrivals increased by one 1%. Growth was especially noticeable among day visitors and cruise passengers.

However, the number of guests with overnight stays in Norway decreased in 1999 by 2%, and this decline was registered both for holiday visitors and business travellers. The total number of guest nights dropped by 4% due to a reduction of 1 million holiday visitor guest nights. Related to 1998, tourist traffic from abroad increased in the winter season but decreased during the summer and autumn season.

Day tourists most commonly crossed the border by road. Visitors from Sweden represented the majority of this type of tourist.

Among those who stayed overnight on their trip, the average length of stay was about 7 nights (Table B). The most important source markets for overnight visits are Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Finland, UK and the Netherlands.

Table 3: Foreign guest nights in Norway 1999 by country of residence and transport mode at the point of leaving Norway. Figures are in thousands except average length of stay, which is in number of nights per person.

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Source : HAUKELAND,RIDENG 2000, p. 2

The length of stay varied among the different countries. Germany was the largest single foreign market in terms of number of guest nights. However, countries like Sweden, Denmark, Great Britain, USA, the Netherlands and Finland were also important source markets for the Norwegian tourism industry.

The reduction in the number of guest nights from 1998 to 1999 was significant among visitors from Germany, UK, the Netherlands and Finland. On the other hand there was an increased in these numbers among visitors from countries like the USA, Switzerland and Italy.

The neighbouring Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark and Finland), Germany, the Netherlands, UK and the USA dominated the foreign holiday traffic. Within the holiday segment, most arrivals were Swedish (27%) and most guest nights were German (28%).

Holiday traffic by private motor vehicles and coaches represented 74% of all foreign holiday gust nights in Norway. From 1998 to 1999, this traffic decreased in terms of the number of both arrivals (3%) and guest nights (7%). Over the five past years the number of guest nights in this broad category of tourist has dropped by as much as 9%. This is mainly due to the decline in the number of guest nights among tourists from Germany, UK, the Netherlands, Finland and Belgium during the last year.

Residents living in the neighbouring Nordic countries, in Germany and in the Netherlands dominated this traffic by road and ferry.

Table 4: Per cent of foreign guest nights for all guests leaving the country by own vehicle, bus, rail or air, by type of accommodation. N = Number of guest nights in 1999 (thousands).

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Source : HAUKELAND, RIDENG 2000, p. 3

Business and holiday travellers spent a total of more than 22 million guest nights in Norway (Table 4). These visitors mainly used 3 different types of commercial accommodation : hotels (28%), rented cabins (19%) and camping at camping sites (13%). In addition, overnight stays with friends and relatives, own/borrowed cabin and camping outside camping sites were used.

Among motor tourists overnight stays in camping and cabin facilities are most frequently used. The coach tourists utilise first and foremost hotels and visitors going by train or air mainly stay in private homes or in hotels. Among business travellers the hotel share is high, whereas there is a relatively equal distribution among the four sectors hotel, cabin, camping and friends/relatives in the holiday visitor segment.

Finmark (or specific sites in northern Norway) and Nordland were most often reported as the main destinations for motor tourists. They also revealed high interest in the fjords in the south-western part of Norway.

However, there is a great deal of variation across different market segments. First time visitor and touring motorists are attracted by the northern region and Norway in general, whereas repeat visitors who stay in rented cabins in one particular destination paid more attention to Hedmark in the southeast and the south-western fjord region (HAUKELAND, RIDENG 2000).

3. Who visits Norway ?

Most of the Tourists come from Sweden, Denmark and Germany/Switzerland/Austria. These markets make together 67% of the foreign holiday visits in Norway out. The biggest share of the market has Sweden, followed by Germany/Switzerland/Austria and Denmark.

Table 5: Utlendingers reiser til Norge i 1998 med minst é n overnatting.

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Source : Markedsdata 2000; www.ntr.no

Of the Swedish tourists who think about travelling to Norway have 88% been there before (repeater). Corresponding to Denmark the number is 72%, for the Netherlands 35%, Great Britain 22%, Germany 19% and for France 2%. France, Germany, Great Britain and the Netherlands are typical “first time visitor”-markets and Sweden and Denmark are typical “repeater”- markets.

A IPK-analysis shows which target groups visit Norway and which are the most important products for demand :

Table 6

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Source : Markedsdata 1996, p.8

The target group in Denmark covers the middle-aged and older age groups through all social classes. The Swedish tourists are mostly middle-aged and all social classes are covered. The German, French and British target groups are also middle-aged, but mostly from middle and higher social classes. From the Netherlands there are all age groups and middle or higher social classes. For France, Germany and Great Britain are roundtrips the most important tourism products. For Sweden and the Netherlands are also active holidays very important. For Denmark are cabin holidays and winter sport holidays the main products (cf. Markedsdata .1996, p. 8).

3.1 Why travel Tourists to Norway ?

Why wish people from other countries to travel to Norway ? The beautiful landscape seems to be the first and biggest tourist magnet, followed by the fjords, virgin nature, no mass tourism, silence and peace. Much more down on this list follow interest in culture, people and climate etc. Due to a summer analysis of TØI in 1994 is the experience of the landscape and the contact with nature the first reason to come to Norway, followed by recreational aspects and spending time with family. The third reason is the culture, learning and meeting the local people (cf. Markedsdata 1996, p. 10).

But the most visited places are mostly cultural elements, built by people. Cultural elements can also be tourist magnets, like Holmenkollen in Oslo which was visited by over 1 million people in 1994. For foreign tourists are cultural attractions often a supplement to the nature experiences.

Towns give the basics for other experiences and activities as the nature. In Oslo many people want to see the palace and want to go into museums. Bergen has Troldhaugen and Bryggen and Trondheim has the Nidarosdom. In Røros is he whole town an experience and in towns like Odda and Rjukan can one experience the old industrial culture. Most of the places have something to show which is a part of its peculiarity, culture and history. NOTRA has set up a list of the most visited places in Norway which is based on sold tickets and one for nature attractions (these are for free):

Table 7

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Table 8

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Source : Markedsdata 1996, p. 5

The change of society to an affluent society in the last 50 years forced the growth of the tourism sector and more and more people are travelling. Most of the people have different holiday experiences from the past. Therefore it is important to develop new tourism offers. It is not enough only to draw the tourists from foreign countries e.g. with the nature on the Lofoten. Tourists want to have offers with a content and with activities which they can not experience at another place. In Norway e.g. rowing and rafting became popular during the summer, but also summer skiing or the more traditional cabin tour from cabin to cabin. This form of tourism wants to be called green tourism or eco tourism with the aim of experience virgin nature, culture and environment (cf. DOLVE, HOLT-JENSEN, SEIM 1995, p. 162).

TØI has made an analysis about environmental questions in summer 1996 among foreign tourists in Norway. The environmental standard in Norway was throughout assessed as very high for water and air, but a little bit lower in some areas because of e.g. recycling and dealing with garbage. Also Germans are more critical with the environmental standard than south Europeans.

The research shows that the tourists judge the environmental standard in Norway as better than in Sweden or other Scandinavian countries and also as much better than in western Europe. Only 7% think that the standard in Norway is worse than in western Europe. Does the environmental standard influence the choice of the travel destination ? Ca. 34% answered with “yes” to this question, but 66% admitted that environmental questions do not influence the choice of the destination. The fact that more than 1/3 of the tourists are aware of environmental questions in relation to the choice of the destination is of important interest. Norway comes off well at environmental questions and the aim is to improve the environmental situation with further initiatives and to profile Norway as a good environmental and ecological destination (cf. Markedsdata 1996, p. 10).

3.2 Which Parts of Norway are visited ?

From table 8 can be seen which parts of Norway were visited in summer 1995 from foreign car tourists.

Table 9: Bilturister; bes ø kssteder etter nasjonalitet. Sommer 1995 (%).

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Source :Makedsdata 2000; www.ntr.no

* NL består av bilturister fra Nederland (i hovedsak), Belgia og Luxembourg.

** IØS er en samlebetegnelse på bilturister fra Italia, Østerrike og Sveits.

Here we see that most of the Swedish tourists visit Østland, because it is near to the border and so easy accessible for Swedes. The pattern of the Danish tourists is similar, but Oslo has a less central role for them. For the inner parts of Østland (Lillehammer and Lom) and the mountain passage to Vestland the average visiting frequency for Danish tourists is similar to the average foreign holiday traffic in this region. Finnish tourists travel mainly in North Norway and the North Cape is most popular.

The most visited town of British car tourists is Bergen. About 77% of the British tourists have been in Bergen. Furthermore Sogngefjord is a “must” for Brits, about 74% went there.

Car tourists from the Netherlands have a high visiting frequency in Østland, in the east Norwegian valleys, on the mountain passage to West Norway and in the fjord region.

German tourists have high visiting numbers at many places. They go on relatively extensive trips. Oslo had the highest number, but also Lillehammer and Vestland have a high position.

French tourists also visit many places. 9 from 10 French tourists go to Oslo and also the other bigger towns are very popular. The number of tourists who travel to the North Cape is high - one out of three has been to the North cape. A similar travel pattern of travelling in Norway have car tourists from Italy, Austria and Switzerland.

Trips to and in Norway are very dissimilar for the different nationalities. The extensive form of travelling looks like to be typical for car tourists from the continent, but the holiday traffic from neighbouring countries is more concentrated on certain regions, which especially applies to Swedish tourists (cf. Markedsdata 1996, p. 11).

Most of the tourists from the neighbouring Scandinavian countries and from central Europe travel to Norway either by car, camper or buss on the road. The highest number of this form of transportation is reached by the Finns, followed by the Swedish tourists. Tourists from Denmark and Germany come mostly by ferry to Norway, but also with their own car, camper or by buss. British tourists prefer to fly to Norway, like tourists from the USA and other countries from where the distances are to big. Travelling by train to Norway is not very popular, which follows an international trend.

Table 10: Anvendt transportform til Norge 1998. Feriegjester med overnatting (%-vis andel).

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Source : Markedsdata 2000; www.ntr.no

To sum it up it can be said that the individual forms of transportation (car, camper) are the most important forms of transportation within the travel to and in between Norway, followed by the ferry. But mostly combinations of forms of transportation take part, like travelling with the car on a ferry. Travelling by plane is the most important form of transportation for tourists from oversea countries, or other countries which are too far away from Norway.

4. German Tourists in Norway

Many Germans like to spend their holidays in Norway and Germany is therefore an important market. Most of the German tourists are typical individual tourists, but there is a growing tendency to package tours with tourist parties. For the neighbouring countries Sweden and Finland it is a similar situation.

The motives for Germans to spend their holidays in Norway are especially the beautiful landscape, interesting culture and history, virgin nature, the fjords and good fishing possibilities. The motive “nature experience” plays an important role for the decision of a trip to Norway.

Where are the most popular travel destinations for German tourists in Norway ? Due to a market analysis of the Norwegian Tourist Office in Hamburg in the end of the 80s was the west Norwegian fjord country on top of the list with 31%, followed by the Østland provinces with 20%. In the Oslo region was a number of 25%, but in this number there are also business travellers included. In southern Norway (Agder provinces and Telemark) were 8,5%, in Trøndelag only 4% and to North Norway travelled less than 12% of the German tourists. From this named numbers prefer ca. 85% of the German tourists in Norway the southern parts of the country and only 15% Middle- and North Norway. From the results of the analysis also came out that 57% of the tourists are “stationary holiday tourists” and 43% are “mobile round trip tourists”. The often expressed opinion that the dream destination of German tourists was the North Cape is not absolutely true.

Only a few travel destinations in the world can register similar repeating numbers of German tourists like the Scandinavian states. Who once came to Norway will return again, is a slogan in the tourist business. Ca. 57% of the German tourists who come to Norway are so called repeaters and have been averagely 4 times to Norway.

Further information about the travel habits of the Germans offer the guest nights statistics. Until the 90s were guest nights in hotels relatively small. In the End of the 80s German hotel guest nights had a number of 350 000 which were only 4,8% of the whole “foreign contingent”. Characteristically for German travel habits in Norway are the high numbers of holidays in cabins or camping with each 25%. Rapidly increasing are the trips to Norway in campers. This development is seen with mixed feelings by the Norwegians because of the problematic nature of increasing traffic and the resulting dangers for the environment. Another problem for environment and nature are the consequences of wild camping (cf. GLÄßER 1993, p. 124-126).

From 1990 to 1996 increased the hotel guest nights in relation to camping, but this also has to be seen of the background of business travellers. The total number of German tourists had it’s peak in the middle of the 90s, but decreased from 1996.

Table 11 : Totalt antall registrerte tyske gjested ø gn i Norge:

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Source : Markedsdata 2000; www.ntr.no

*** Endring kan ikke beregnes p.g.a. omlegging i statistikken fra 1997 til 1998.

4.1 German Associations with Norway

The chief characteristics of the target group in Germany are reported in the latest marketing strategy for tourism in Norway. It is said that Germans have a small idea about Norway and that it is difficult for them to differ Norway from Sweden and Finland.

Positive associations for Germans with Norway are :

- Rein dear and virgin nature (silence, recreation, interesting nature phenomena)
- A high degree of individuality (small extend of mass tourism)
- Good possibilities for sport activities (like fishing and cross-country skiing)
- Nice fjords
- Salmon fishing
- Rough and strong nature
- Silence
- Friendly people

The negative associations with Norway are :

- Great distances and a weak infrastructure
- A small degree of variation : “First of all, there is nature. Followed by…nothing else”
- Difficult to come to the country / little accessibility
- Germans are not welcome in Norway
- Very expensive

4.2 The German Travel Marked to Norway

The peak season for holiday traffic to Norway is from the middle of June, July and the first half of August for the summer holiday traffic. For the winter season is the corresponding period over Christmas and New Year or school holidays from February to the middle of April.

Figure 3

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Source : Markedsdata 1996, p.41

In 1996 there was a stabile to increasing tendency registered for the German holiday traffic to Norway. Although the hotel guest nights were decreasing, the statistics of the ferry businesses show a solid growth for the number of German tourists in the period May to June 1996 similar to corresponding period in 1995 (5,1%). The most preferred accommodations for German tourists in Norway are still camping, cabins and holiday houses.

Table 12 : Tysklands prosentvise andel av utenlandske gjested ø gn i Norge 1998:

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Source : Markedsdata 2000; www.ntr.no

In 1999 17% of the German tourists stayed in hotels, 39,1% were camping, 61,3% stayed in cabins and 12,4% in rambling club houses (Vandrerhjem).

On the North Cape plateau there was a decline of 22% of the German holiday traffic noticed in 1996 in contrast to 1995. This drop is connected with the constant decline of the number of organized coach tours from Germany to Norway. This holiday traffic can be maybe substituted through new, individual traffic and for North Norway there were many different offers of charter products from Germany in 1997.

The fastest growing segment for holiday traffic from Germany to Norway is at the moment the holiday fishing segment. Facilities along the coast with organized conditions for coast- and seafish together with the offers for inland fishing registered in 1996 a strong growing demand from German customers. This development is still increasing.

The range of Norwegian winter products have grown in the German marked, and there is now a wider offer of transports. There are continued cross-country skiing products in combination with stays in cabins which is the greatest demand for winter products.

The Hurtigruten show a solid growth during the winter. Christmas and trips during holydays become more and more popular. The Norwegian strategy for the winter comprises the development of the alpine segment and also Norway as an exotic winter destination for tourists who do not want to ski.

From tour operators it is claimed that that there is not a satisfying relation between the price and the quality of Norwegian products. Norway will always be a relatively expensive travel destination, but tourists who come to Norway are prepared for this. There has to be anyway a relation between the price which is paid for different services and the quality level. There are single differences between the price which is requested and the quality for some accommodation and restaurant offers in Norway.

5.3 Trends

The biggest tour operators in Germany become constantly bigger. 53 of the biggest tour operators in Germany (70% of the marked) registered a growth of the number of customers with 10,25% and a growth of turnovers with 9,17%. Among the medium sized and small tour operators there is a constant up buy, alliances and different forms of cooperation registered.

The coach tour marked for trips to Norway and Scandinavia is still dominated by 8-10 of the biggest companies. The number of tour operators has decreased and the concentration grew as a consequence of the constant decreasing demand for coach tours in 1996. In 1998 had the experiment with 3 night stays in the same hotel as a part of a regional roundtrip good results. It seems that a combination of basic holidays and roundtrips within the buss segment gets a strong demand in the next year.

As a consequence of the constantly cheap flight prices become far away destinations more and more popular among German tourists. This development takes constantly marked shares of costs of the traditional destinations.

Also the offer of charter flights especially to North Norway has the consequence that most of the biggest tour operators in Germany had good offers for Norwegian products in 1999 in combination with flights.

The individual tourist market is the most important and potent market for Norway. A round trip with camping, cabin holidays or a round trip with the own car and different accommodation forms are in a big growth. Also experience and activity elements play an more and more important role of the demand for tourism in Norway together with cultural offers (Markedsdata 1996, p. 44).

The growing importance of individuality and the access to activities are to important trends which will determine the demand for holiday trips for Germans in the next years.

Because of a new position of the German marked will the products - which are in a stronger degree for individual nature orientated tourists who are looking for experiences through activities - be the most demanded for the coming years on the German marked for holidays in Norway (cf. Markedsdata 2000).

4. The Conflict between Centre and Periphery

When the development of tourism in Norway is today especially forced from the politico-economic side, this happens foremost of the background of the conflict between centre and periphery. For a large part of Norwegian communities became tourism business (for Norwegians and foreign tourists) nowadays a high priority. And in fact some farmer valleys, forest- and fjellareas or groups of islands are socio-economically kept alive due to summer- or sometimes also winter tourism, which is directing in a growing extend from middle to northern Europe. The upper parts of e.g. Setesdal, Hallingdal and Gulbrandsdal are good examples for this development.

Luxurious and simple hotels, comfortable guest houses and above all the wide spread network of different classes of tourist huts offer a financial wide spread offer.

On the other hand mustn’t the development of tourism - which is wished for the strengthening of the periphery - be seen isolated from the whole development on the scene of action. This is a source of danger which should not be underestimated , that in some parts of the country, especially in some winter sport regions, tourism is only developed due to economically aspects. The resulting ecological damages of the landscape in Norway are fortunately still in contrast to other countries relatively small. But also the new establishment of weekend houses is subject to strict planning conditions (cf. GLÄßER 1993, p. 121).

Tourism is in some communities in the south Norwegian periphery an existential factor, e.g. Geilo, Oppdal and Røros n Sør-Trondelag, further Sjusjøen near Lillehammer and Høvringen near Odda, two former “seter”-villages. For many other communities is tourism more or less important, e.g. Engerdal. These communities get due to tourism jobs, mostly part time jobs. Many shops are kept only because of the tourists over the existence minimum. So tourism contributes to the maintenance of the service offers in the periphery and decreases the danger of migration.

For the south Norwegian periphery tourism can be seen as a way for regional promotion. In the north Norwegian periphery the situation is different. This part of the country comprises 35% of the land and it has to be seen as total periphery except for a few cities. The numbers of guest nights in hotel and camping sites are too low to give regio-political development-impulses. Occupational possibilities in and business opportunities from tourism are in North Norway mostly along the E6 to the North cape and this also only for a few weeks during the summer season (cf. LINDEMANN 1986, p. 158).

Many of these tourist businesses in the periphery are related to a high private initiative and it is an important source of income.

Tourism can not be seen as a remedy for the problems of the Norwegian periphery. Sure it is economically important, but it can not solve all problems, tourism even can force problems in an ecological or social way.

6. Conclusion and Outlook

Tourism is an important sector for the Norwegian economy and also for the development of the periphery. The destination Norway is very popular, but it is not a typical mass tourism land which is its advantage. On the other hand Norway is still a relatively exclusive destination because it is very expensive and suffers right now from the weakness of the Euro, so it became even more expensive for tourists from the European Union. According to a German trend the numbers of visitors decreased a little bit, because people try to save money and Norway has the reputation of an expensive destination.

So the Norwegian Tourist Board tries to figure out and to reach new target groups, e.g. younger people. According to the latest target group analysis are the tourists who are very enthusiastic about Norway young, female and they travel with their family, make round trips and do not have a high income. The Tourist Board tries to strike a new attitude with a new marketing campaign especially to appeal directly to younger tourists with the development of new products for all seasons and especially for the winter season are the prospects quiet good.

Another advantage for the holiday destination Norway is the high environmental standard. More and more tourists especially from urban regions want to escape to a natural and non-polluted environment for their holidays. Here is a good point of departure for sustainable development in tourism, which could be a great advantage especially for the regions in the periphery. The ecological dimension is high in Norway and it has to be reconciled with the economic and social dimension. Eco-tourism is still a niche marked because this kind of holiday is relatively expensive, but it has mainly quality. Tourists who travel to Norway know that this is not a cheap holiday, but they get a good quality.

According to an international trend, the sector of city trips and event-tourism is growing and this year Bergen was one of the cultural cities of the year 2000 which involved many benefits for the city. So it is an aim of the Norwegian Tourist Board to improve the traditional tourism products like cabin holidays, hiking trips and the fishing segment and also to develop the sector of events and new holiday activities, which is supposed to take place with the background of a sustainable development with the intention of stopping the decrease of the holiday traffic.

Bibliography :

- DOLVE,K; HOLT-JENSEN, A; SEIM, A (1995) : Landskap. Geografi felles allment fag.- Oslo
- GLÄßER, E. (1993) : Norwegen.- in : Wissenschaftliche Länderkunden, Bd. 14, Hrsg. Storkebaum, W., Darmstadt
- HAUKELAND, J.V.; RIDENG, A. (2000): Guest Statistics 1999 (Summary).- in : TØI report, Oslo
- LINDEMANN, R. (1986) : Norwegen. Räumliche Entwicklungen in einem dünn besiedelten Land.- in : Klett Länderprofile. Geographische Strukturen, Daten, Entwicklungen. Stuttgart
- NOTRA (1997) : Markedsdata 1996
- SÖMME, A. (1974) : Die Nordischen Länder. DK, SF, I, N, S.- Westermann, Braunschweig

Internet literature :

- http://www.fvw.de
- http://www.ntr.no (Markedsdata 2000)
- http://www.toi.no
- http://www.touristik-report.de