Conference program

Kata Nylén – moderator

During the conference, Kata will follow up the other speakers subjects by giving practical tips, and advice and guiding the conversations. Read more about Kata.

Camilla Bondareva
Care for the Arctic – it’s our home

Camilla will talk about our arctic agenda. An inclusive and engaging method that empowers us to contribute to, drive, and lead change processes and adjustments towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Read more about Camilla.

Keynote: Michael Green

Topic to be announced. Read more about Michael.

Lennart Pittja
A hymn to home – regenerative indigenous tourism paves the way

Lennart will talk about how indigenous knowledge can inspire a responsible way of tourism development. He calls it “A hymn to home” and we will follow his journey and thoughts on how he as indigenous tourism entrepreneur can contribute to the Arctic agenda. Read more about Lennart.

Trond Øverås
3 countries. One destination – cross border co-operation creating the joint platform Visit Arctic Europe

Trond Øverås, based in the Arctic capital, Tromsø, will talk about the long-term public-private cooperation between the northernmost regions of Norway, Sweden and Finland in developing Arctic Europe as a common international travel destination brand. For almost 10 years, the hospitality industry in the three countries have joint forces to create not only a mutual branding and marketing, but also product and business development and making Arctic Europe more accessible as well as a cross border business network now leveling into – Arctic Europe Tourism Cluster. Read more about Trond.

Janus Brandin
Visitors and the hospitality business, a cathalyst for growth and innovation?

Janus Brandin will share thoughts from the region on how the visitors and the hospitality business can act as a cathalyst for growth and innovation in Norrbotten in times of transitions. He will also emphasize the importance of having a joint, regional, and strategic road map to realize the visitor’s full potential in making conscious choices and actively contribute to the regenerative local development. Together we share the mission and intention to make sure, we properly manage our destinations and homes, and succeed in making it even more attractive to inhabitants as well as visitors. Read more about Janus.

Dieter K. Müller
The Arctification of northern tourism

In contrast to mass tourism destinations, tourism in peripheral areas has always been dependent on limited numbers of tourists. This implies a need to offer products that have a uniqueness that attracts tourists to the periphery. In the European north, this has been accomplished by re-branding the destination as Arctic. In this presentation, advantages and risks of such a change are highlighted but also its embedding in wider societal change stretching far beyond the realm of the tourism industry. Read more about Dieter.

Keynote: Guðrið Højgaard
From saving the environment to exploring the meaning of home – Whats next in tourism?

Guðrið will talk about the new pathway of tourism that is not solely about numbers. It is also about adding non-material value to a society and its people, ensuring that Faroe Islands continues to develop as an exciting place to live and about the meaning of Home. Read more about Guðrið.

Maria Wiberg
A new model in measuring Regional Tourism and Tourism’s Environmental Impact in the Nordics

Regional tourism statistics is desired by many actors. Finding the right data to make accurate models seems to be the biggest restraint to the compilation. Transaction data has a high level of granularity, which means the data can be broken down both to a regional and even down to municipality level. Read more about Maria.

Ann Heidi Hansen
Why do we need tourism?

Ann Heidi will give her thoughts on tomorrow’s responsible travel industry and how we can move from “more” to “better” both for the visitor, the local community, and the tourism industry. She will talk about Innovation Norway’s certificate Sustainable Destinations and how to work with local engagement in a long perspective. She will also share findings from the pilot project in Responsible Visitor Management at Nordland County Council. The main aim of the project was to develop a holistic approach and tools to ensure a sustainable and locally governed development – both in areas with a considerable influx of tourists and for areas that want to enhance sustainable tourism. Read more about Ann-Heidi.